


Acceptance

by Geri_Lea



Series: Acceptance AU [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-09-13
Packaged: 2017-12-16 21:22:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 93,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geri_Lea/pseuds/Geri_Lea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Struggling to get over his last relationship that had blown up in his face, Mark finds his life complicated when he falls for a young rich kid that returns home to the small town of Glenwood, Sebastian, who refuses to come out of the closet, despite their budding relationship</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Mark mashes his mouth against David’s as they stumble into his apartment, their balance severely compromised by the amount beers that they’d been consuming all night. Hands begin to tug at clothes as they move around trying to get to the bed, both desperate for this. Even as they tumble backwards onto the bed naked, Mark knows somewhere in his head that this shouldn’t be happening, but god he was so fucking horny.

“I missed you,” David gasps as he drags his mouth down Mark’s neck, sucking at his flesh as he goes.

“Fuck me,” Mark orders, not at all in the mood to play around, his cock ready to explode. A choked cry leaves him when David’s hand wraps around the throbbing member tightly, and it was nearly all over then; he was so close.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard,” David promises as he nudges Mark’s legs apart, “You’re not going to remember your name…”

“Then do it,” Mark rasps, his hips trying to thrust in David’s tight grip, and attempting to drag David’s mouth back to his. But David sits up and Mark watches with lust filled eyes as the other man leans over to fumble in the drawer for a condom and lube. The wait is agony: it had been far too long since they’d done this, and Mark couldn’t wait another moment. “Don’t prep,” he orders, “Just fuck me.”

David smiles, loving the fact that the man laying sprawled on the bed was begging, making his cock harden further. Knowing that he couldn’t wait anymore than Mark, he rolls on the condom, slicking himself up as quickly as possible before grabbing Mark’s legs. Pushing them back, he watches as Mark’s tiny hole twitches and Mark is once more trying to hurry him along, hands gripping fistfuls of sheet while moaning loudly.

Mark throws his head back when David thrusts in deeply in one push. Pleasure and pain coursing through him, it had been months and his body needed to adjust to the intrusion. David pauses briefly and when Mark’s caught his breath, he nods at the other man for him to start, and without a delay, David begins to move with hard and deep thrusts. Mark can only howl as David’s cock drags against his prostate with each stroke, his cock leaking precum constantly as he hovers near the edge already.

“Oh fuck, David…” Mark moans, “Fuck, don’t stop… just like that!”

One of David’s hands were on Mark’s shoulder, the other grips his thigh as he pushes Mark’s leg back further, wanting to get deeper. Mark’s ass was so tight around him, tighter than he could remember. He was struggling not to just come right now at the exquisite feeling of Mark’s ass around him. “So close Mark…so fucking close,” David warns panting heavily as he moves, the sound of slapping skin echoing in Mark’s small apartment as they move. He’s vaguely aware of Mark’s fingers clawing at his skin, trying to find grip, trying to not shatter apart.

With his orgasm bubbling up and knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop it, David grasps Mark’s cock tightly once more and begins to jerk him off furiously. “Come,” David moans, “Want to feel you come…”

David’s sweat slicked hand on his cock was enough to tip Mark over the edge, David driving into him at just the right angle to slam into his prostate sees his cock erupt, streaks of hot come splattering on his chest and stomach as he falls. Mark’s cries are joined by David’s as the other man stiffens, hips jerking erratically as he follows Mark over the edge, the spasming muscles around his own cock from Mark’s orgasm triggering his own.

David falls onto Mark exhausted and Mark’s arm comes around him as they lay there panting, waiting for their hearts to stop racing. Exhaustion begins to seep into both men, with both the sex and the alcohol consumed contributing. Rolling onto their sides each clings to the other as they begin to drift off to sleep, David gripping Mark just a little tighter.

“Love you Mark,” David whispers but there’s no reply from Mark besides a soft snore, and David closes his eyes and gives in himself.

*          *          *

When Mark awakens the next morning the first thing he feels is his head, the next thing he becomes aware of is the warm body curled against him. He opens his eyes and is half relieved, half horrified to find David in bed next to him. Last night floods back and he groans, rolling onto his back and throwing and arm over his eyes.

He could be so fucking stupid sometimes. Cursing at himself for being weak he drags himself from bed, ignoring the muffled protest from next to him. Rubbing his face, trying to clear his vision he suddenly notes the time. “Shit,” he says eyes widening. It was late and he had a job this morning he was going to be late for, which normally wouldn’t be a problem but today he was starting, and that meant an appointment to go over the plans.

“Mark?” David murmuring is muffled, as Mark heads to the bathroom.

“I’m late!” Mark calls out to him. He has a quick shower, due to the time and because for some reason he has no hot water. Again. He curses his shoddy apartment once more before hurriedly getting dressed. He stops in the kitchen to see David was up, wearing nothing but an apron and cooking in his box like kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Mark asks, staring at his David’s ass.

“Making you breakfast,” David answers flashing him a grin, “Scrambled eggs just the way you like them.”

“I don’t have time,” Mark says, trying to sound annoyed, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded because he missed David cooking for him and his stomach liked the sound of scrambled eggs.

“Nonsense,” David answers piling a plate up with eggs, “You eat fast, and so what if you’re a few more minutes late. Sit.” The plate is put on the table and Mark sits down watching as David then starts doing his dishes that had been building up over the week, and Mark was once more staring at his ass.

Shovelling his food in as fast as possible, his stomach seemingly not unsettled from last night, he tells David in a quiet voice, “We need to talk about last night.”

David stiffens and looks back over at him, “Why?”

“It doesn’t change anything David,” Mark mutters, looking down at his plate trying not to see how hurt the other man looked. Mark wasn’t stupid, David had been trying to make last night happen for months, and it had taken to David trying till he had caught him out drunk.

“But you wanted it,” David argues as he moves to sit opposite Mark. “I said I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry Mark. I’ll do anything to make it right between us again. I love you and I know you love me too.” He reaches across the table to cover Mark’s hand with his own.

Mark looks up, struggling to process his emotions. Yes he still loved David, yes he wished they were still together, but it wasn’t his fault they weren’t. No one had hurt him like David had, and not only had David hurt him by having some fling behind his back, but he’d ruined their _eight_ year relationship, destroyed all the plans they had together. Just thinking back to all the lies and deceit, thinking back to what they had and what they lost makes Mark’s chest well with so much pain he can barely breathe. He couldn’t be here right now, not with David.

“Nothing has changed,” Mark says getting to his feet, his voice far shakier than he wished it was. “We are not back together and if you can’t understand the line between friends and what’s more, than maybe you need to keep away from me.” He pulls on his leather jacket, grabbing his bike helmet and keys before walking out, leaving David sitting at his kitchen table on the verge of tears.

*          *          *

David knows there’s no point in moping around Mark’s apartment, so after straightening things as much as he can, he lets himself out, locking up and making his way to the local diner. Glenwood was not a big town and there wasn’t a Starbucks on every corner, there was only one place to really go. For variety, most of the local residences tended to make the twenty minute drive to the next town, which boasted more than the one-type business town that Glenwood was.

“Morning DC,” Jan calls out cheerily. “Coffee?”

“Yes please,” David says dropping into a booth as Jan waddles over with a steaming pot of coffee. “That kid should be popping out any day,” he comments unable to look at anything but her huge belly.

Jan grunts, rubbing her stomach with her free hand. “I hope so; I’ve had enough of her in there. And maybe when she arrives Daniel will stop freaking out.”

The sounds of burning rubber and shouting followed by laughter make both David and Jan look out the window at the sidewalk where a black Hummer had mounted the curb and parked.

“Kids,” Jan grunts as three young guys get out.

David purses his lips as Sebastian, Jaime and Nico enter the diner. All three men were from wealthy families in the area, though he hadn’t seen any of them in quite some time. The younger ones tended to prefer the attractions of city life rather than the quieter life that Glenwood offered, though he knew Sebastian had left to go study. David hadn’t seen him in years.

“Going to move the car?” Jan barks at them when they get to the counter.

“You don’t have a drive through!” Sebastian comments, “We’ll be quick.”

“What pie do you have today?” Jaime asks, peering at what was on the counter.

“Isn’t he a cop?” Nico asks eyes fixed on David who was staring at them with a steely expression.

Sebastian looks up and gives a once over to David before turning back to Jan and placing an order for a complicated burger that would take some time to prepare, apparently not caring.

Had David not been off duty and he had his ticket book on him, he’d fine Sebastian for parking his car there. He stares at the black Hummer in disgust on the sidewalk; it was a disgusting piece of machinery. A smile creeps on his face though when he sees his partner appear. Jenson was whipping out a ticket book writing a fine immediately.

“Jan,” David calls out, “Coffee for my partner.”

Jan grinned gleefully once she had spotted Jenson. The three boys though whip around, and Sebastian’s face breaks into a scowl before he storms through the diner. “Hey!” he shouts at Jenson when he throws open the door. “You can’t write me a ticket!”

With the door open, David leans back and listens to the argument between his partner and Sebastian, one that ends with Sebastian furiously tearing up the issued ticket while Jenson slides into the booth opposite. “You do know that you just brightened my morning considerably?” David smiles as Jan fills up a cup of coffee for Jenson.

“Well you’ll have a bad morning when you drink that much,” Jenson scolds gently. “How’s Mark this morning? You get each other home safely?”

And David falls back into his sullen mood. “Yes. Mark seemed fine, rushed off for one of his weekend projects this morning.”

“So you spent the night then?” Jenson asks hesitantly.

“Not that it apparently changes anything, but yes,” David mutters and Jenson looks absently out the window. “And don’t bother with another lecture about moving on.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Jenson responds defensively, trying not to let on that he was upset at the news that David and Mark had hooked up. “But it’s been nearly seven months…”

“This sounds like a lecture,” David snaps, “I didn’t want a lecture.”

Jenson slams his mouth shut and grasps his coffee cup, and only after they had both finished their coffee does David breaks the silence. He brings up work and they discuss a few cases they were working on, and the tension slowly begins to ease once more between them. By the time both walk out of the diner, each holding their daily supply of donuts, their tiff had been forgotten.

*          *          *

After dropping Nico and Jaime off, Sebastian had sped home, still in a fury about his parking ticket. He pulls his car up on his father’s immaculate lawn, digging it up in the process and not caring as he storms into the house. “Dad!” he shouts out after slamming the front door closed behind him. He was going to make his father have that ticket disappear and if he could, he’d also have his father fire that fucking cop at the same time.

His father was Glenwood’s richest man and therefore the most powerful. His father ran the town’s only logging and milling business, and for a town that was stuck in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by trees, it was the areas most profitable enterprise. Just about the entire town of Glenwood worked for Sebastian’s father in some form if they didn’t have their own small business. If anyone could make that cop pay, it was his father, John Vettel.

“Sebi?” His mother’s voice rings out and soon she appears, looking immaculate as usual, and far younger than her actual age.

Sebastian grunts as his mother showers kisses all over his face, “You seen Dad?”

His mother pulls back smiling as she tries to wipe off the lipstick smudges she’d placed on his cheeks, “He’s out back with a contractor who’s going to re-landscape the backyard,” she explains. “Do you want me to get Jorge to whip you up some breakfast?”

“I ate,” Sebastian says shrugging off his mother. After being away from home for most of the last three years studying, it was almost suffocating to return to home to his parents. His mother still treated him like he was a little boy and all that his father wanted to do was talk business now that he had gotten his business degree. When was he meant to have fun and have his own life?

“I’ll have Jorge make you a sandwich,” his mother calls out after him when he walks off.

Sebastian stalks outside, before standing on the back terrace. He spies his father chatting with another man at the edge of the landscaped part of their property, right where it backed into the woods. Pursing his lips, he jogs down the stone steps and heads in their direction. Not caring if he was being rude he interrupts, “Dad we need to talk.”

His father breaks into a wide smile at the presence of his only son. “Sebastian,” he greets him warmly, an arm coming around his shoulders, “I’d like you to meet Mark Webber.”

An introduction wasn’t necessary for this town; it was so small everyone knew everyone as far as he was concerned. And the name Mark Webber was familiar; he knew what mattered about him – mechanic, gay. Sebastian looks at the other man.  He was tall, dark haired and handsome in a rugged way, a dark five o’clock shadow on his face adding to the appeal. And Sebastian feels something twist low in his gut when he looks into Mark’s eyes and he can’t look away. He had seen Mark around, but never before had he been quite as captivated as he was now.

“Nice to meet you,” Mark says holding out his hand.

Sebastian takes it, mumbling a greeting, and Mark squeezes his hand tighter in response. Sebastian can feel an immediate warmth making its way up his arm at the simple touch and he rips his hand back in shock at it. Tearing his eyes from the taller man, he looks at his father, “I said we need to talk,” he snaps. “There are some fucked up cops working in this town that have nothing to do but fine innocent civilians!”

There’s clear annoyance in his father’s eyes now. “Sebastian, I am busy. I don’t have time for this right now…”

Sebastian sucks in his breath. “Whatever.” He looks over at Mark and then glares at him when Sebastian notices the amused look on his face. Spinning on his heel he heads back to the house, angrier than earlier.

“Sebastian?”

Sebastian was walking up the steps, silently trying to work out what do about that cop when Simone appears at the top of the steps. He blinks at his ex-girlfriend as she smiles at him shyly. They’d broken up when he left to go study and he hadn’t missed her. But he forces a smile, “Hey…”

“You’re mum told me you were back; she thought it would be a nice surprise…”

Sebastian wishes his parents would stay out of his life. “It is,” he lies and Simone’s smile widens. She hugs him when he stands in front of her and he hugs her back, squeezing her hard to try and show some excitement.

“I can’t _wait_ to hear all about your time in New York! It’s like _totally_ my dream to go there, and you like, _lived_ there for _three_ _years_!” Simone was clearly excited and Sebastian has to bite his tongue to not say something nasty.

Grasping the girl around the waist he swings her around so she wasn’t directly blocking his path, making her squeal. After setting her down he keeps walking and the moment he steps inside his mother is there, beaming happily.

“Oh good! Simone found you.”

“Yes,” Sebastian answers as Simone bounds up next to him, and then hangs off him, kissing his cheek hard.

“Yes, I found him Mrs. V,” Simone smiles adoringly at Sebastian.

“You know, you two used to make the most adorable couple,” his mother reminisces.

Sebastian was once more feeling claustrophobic. He hadn’t wanted to come home, he didn’t want the life his parents wanted him to have, and he wished he was in New York with his friends there. He didn’t want to run his father’s business and he didn’t want Simone, though clearly that was what his mother was aiming to set up.

He kisses Simone’s cheek, “I’ll call you,” he tells her. “I need some rest, still tired from the trip back.”

“Of course,” Simone nods understandingly. “We’ll do dinner tonight?”

“Yeah… maybe,” he answers and Simone gives him a tiny wave before she bounds off, his mother following as both talked in hushed tones. Rolling his eyes, Sebastian heads upstairs to his room. He closes the door and walks to the window which overlooked the back of his parent’s property. He can see Mark still chatting with his father. He rests his forehead on the glass and just stares. His eyes follow their movements, chewing his lip when he finds he can’t stop staring; he didn’t understand his unexpected interest in the older man at all, only that he was unable to suppress it, especially when staring has him slowly forget about his ticket.

*              *              *


	2. Chapter 2

Mark didn’t particularly want to go to the bar tonight, but he was craving a beer and avoiding David wasn’t going to work forever; this town was too fucking small for that to be of any great plan. Sucking it up, he rides his motorcycle from the Vettels’ property, where he spent the day discussing plans about a landscaping project he had taken on, to the local bar.

There are a lot of shouts and cheers when he walks in and the moment he sits at the bar next to Jenson a beer is placed in front of him. “Thanks Jev,” he smiles at the barkeeper.

“Another heavy one planned tonight?” Jenson asks curiously.

“Nope, just one or two and then I’m going to call it a day,” Mark promises. He was getting too old to get smashed every night now, he was nearly thirty-five, his youth felt far away. “David around tonight?”

“Nah,” Jenson answers taking a swig of his own drink, and Mark relaxes at that. “I think he wants to give you some space.”

“Good,” Mark nods.

“You two okay?” Jenson asks concerned. “You spent months just getting to friends…”

“Yeah, think I might have stuffed that all up last night,” Mark mourns. “Wish I could take it back.”

Jenson smiles sympathetically and squeezes his shoulder. “DC’ll be alright in a few days, I’m sure. I think you both just need someone new so you don’t keep falling backwards.”

“New?” Mark ponders the thought; he hadn’t thought of starting another relationship at all. He hadn’t wanted to rush back into that after David hurt him, but it had been a while now. Maybe he should look at getting back to dating. “Got any suggestions?”

“We should head to some real bars,” Jenson answers.

“This is a bar,” Mark protests.

Jenson grins. “Meant gay bars.”

“You don’t think I can pick up here?” It was more of a sarcastic question than anything as Mark turns to look over the people that were around. The place was slowly starting to get busy, but it was a Saturday night after all. This was a fairly small town, Mark was sure he knew just about everyone that lived here, and of course he knew who was straight and gay. As far as he was aware, beside David and Jenson, there were no single gay guys in town.

“Sure,” Jenson nods as he finishes his drink, a knowing smirk on his face. “You take the next one that walks through the door.”

Both men look towards the door and it opens a few moments later, Sebastian Vettel walking in holding the hand of some young girl that Mark vaguely recognised. Jenson grins at Mark. “Get into his pants and I’ll give you a thousand dollars.”

“Too young,” Mark shakes his head, though his eyes continue to follow Sebastian who sits at a table with what Mark can only presume is his girlfriend. Mark thinks he looks uncomfortable, and not at all interested in the girl chatting non-stop opposite him. “He was complaining to his father about being fined for something today…”

That makes Jenson laugh and he shares the story with Mark before Jenson asks about what work he was doing for John Vettel. Mark finishes his second beer before throwing some money onto the bar and getting to his feet. He can’t help but cast one more look towards Sebastian when he walks out, slightly taken aback to find the young kid was staring at him intently. Mark smiles at him when their eyes meet and he can feel his heart skip a beat when Sebastian returns it with a small smile in return.

Mark hurries out. He walks to his bike, shrugging on his jacket before reaching for his helmet.

“Hey.” Stopping Mark turns around to see Sebastian standing there, hands wedged into his pockets. “Nice bike.”

“Thanks,” Mark answers, putting the helmet back down as Sebastian walks towards him, fingers reaching out to brush the handlebars.

“Going anywhere exciting?” Sebastian stares at Mark, eyes looking hopeful.

Mark smiles and offers him the helmet, “You could find out?” Mark didn’t expect him to take it.

Sebastian steps down off the guttering edge after a moment’s hesitation and takes the helmet. “You don’t have two?”

“Wasn’t expecting company,” Mark answers swinging a leg over the bike and sitting down, trying not to show his surprise at Sebastian’s acceptance to go for a ride. “But we’ll risk my head tonight, plus I think you’ve had enough fines for one day.”

Sebastian yanks on the helmet, eyes flashing with anger at that. “Your friend is an ass,” Sebastian snaps but he climbs on behind Mark anyway.

“Sometimes,” Mark agrees, “But not today.” He then starts the bike up, revving when it rumbles to life.

“I’ve never been on a bike before!” Sebastian shouts to Mark over the noise.

Mark looks back at him, “Just hold on!” And Sebastian grips his waist as they take off. There’s this little flutter of excitement in him at being with Sebastian and doing something spontaneous, this wasn’t like him, after all he didn’t know the kid, besides his name and who he was - but despite all that, Mark was enjoying himself immensely for the first time in a long time.

*          *          *

Sebastian doesn’t care what drove him to walk out of the bar and after Mark, nor was he concerned that he had just left Simone sitting there waiting for him to return. It had been impulsive and unexpected, but the moment Mark smiled at him something lit up in him like nothing or no one else had done before. He shivers and holds onto Mark a bit tighter, and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was cold.

They’d been riding about ten minutes along the main highway that led out of town. For a moment Sebastian hoped Mark would drive them completely out of Glenwood, far from the stupid town, but far short of that Mark slows the bike and pulls off the road into a dirt clearing. He knew where they were though, and where the worn path off to the side of the road led. He hadn’t been here in years.

The bike cuts off and Sebastian immediately releases Mark. Standing back up he undoes his helmet and passes it to Mark. “What?” he asks when he sees Mark’s grin. Mark though doesn’t answer just reaches out with one hand to try and flatten what was obviously helmet hair. Sebastian bats his hand away, he preferred it when Mark didn’t touch him, it confused him.

“Come on,” Mark says walking to the path.

Sebastian hurries after him. “Last time I came here I was with my girlfriend…” Sebastian trails off then. This place was known for teenagers to come out to at night just to have sex. He stares at Mark’s back and purses his lips, “Why did you bring me here?”

“You said something exciting,” Mark answers and then looks over his shoulder and winks after adding, “Plus it’s romantic.”

Sebastian nearly trips over at those words and Mark snorts at him. “Don’t worry mate, didn’t bring you here to get in your pants.”

They only need to walk a few minutes before they stumble across the waterhole. It was in the middle of the clearing, a muddy dirt like beach on one side of the large still lake, and a rocky cliff that ran along the other, reaching nearly twenty metres at its highest point. This place was hugely popular in summer, far more than the local swimming pool. Over the years, people had put up ropes and tyres to swing into the water, and someone had even gone to the effort at some point to bash in metal stakes into the cliff walls to make it easier to climb. They’d been there since Sebastian could remember; he could recall climbing them to jump into the water when he was young, without them it would be a long walk to the top of the cliff.

Even at night, this place never seemed dark, at least on the nights he came here. The moon was out, there weren’t clouds in the sky and it lit up the waterhole brilliantly. He stops next to Mark who was shrugging out of his jacket, his eyes falling on the far cliff face. “What happened?” Sebastian asks, staring at the red cross that had been spray painted on.

“Kid died here two years back,” Mark replies without any emotion in his voice. “Jumped off the top, didn’t go out far enough to get deep water…”

Sebastian shivered and looks across at Mark who returns to undressing. He swallows as Mark peels off his t-shirt hurriedly. He nearly jumps out of his skin when Mark leans over and whispers, “Some say his ghost haunts here now…”

“Bullshit,” Sebastian snaps, “You think I’m eight or something? I’m a little old for ghost stories.”

Mark laughs, “You could be eight…” His jeans are off now and only in a pair of briefs he walks to the water’s edge. “Come on!”

Sebastian watches as Mark dives under. He resurfaces moments later, out much further. In a few minutes, Sebastian was in a similar state of undress and he toes the water to check the temperature; it certainly wasn’t summer at the moment. “Fuck,” he hisses.

“You going to stand there all night and curse?” Mark calls out to him as he swims around, now much closer to the other side of the lake.

Sebastian wants to deck the guy. Who cares if he was bigger, he deserved a smack in the face, especially when he shouts out to stop being a baby and just get in. Sucking it up he makes his way in, trying to ignore the biting cold on his skin, but soon enough he’d adjusted somewhat. Mark had started climbing up one of the cliff faces and Sebastian quickly moves to join him. There wasn’t a discussion about how high they went; both just make their way till their standing on the highest point.

“You said exciting,” Mark reminds him when he notices Sebastian seems rather hesitant.

Swallowing Sebastian moves closer to the edge. He’d jumped off the cliffs, just not from here. “It’s not that high,” he says trying to make a brave face.

“Think that Wilson kid that died might argue with that one,” Mark returns quietly.

“Yeah, well clearly the kid doesn’t know how to run and jump,” Sebastian snaps, his nerves disappearing with irritation.

“Come on then,” Mark coaxes, “Let’s see you do it.”

Never one to turn down a challenge, Sebastian turns and backs up and before Mark can say another word he flings himself off the edge. For the longest moment there is only air whooshing past him, his heart in his throat before he crashes into the cold water below. It swallows him, drags him deep before he kicks hard to resurface. Gasping for air he comes up only to catch a glimpse of Mark hurtling towards him. With a loud splash, the other man joins him, disappearing from sight.

Sebastian’s heart was racing, adrenaline was thrumming through his veins, and he hadn’t felt like this in so long… he felt alive. Mark appears, spitting out a mouthful of water like a fountain in the process. There is nothing Sebastian can do to wipe the grin of his face. He wants to do it again, go higher, and feel the rush all over again.

Both of them were treading water, Mark wearing his own smile, “Enough of a kick of excitement for you?”

“It was nice…” Sebastian didn’t want to let on how much he’d enjoyed the thrill, but he had this feeling Mark already knew.

“This place isn’t so bad you know,” Mark tells him. “Glenwood I mean.”

“I never said it was,” Sebastian replies huffily as they swim around leisurely.

“I get the feeling you don’t want to be here…”

Sebastian wonders if he reads like an open book. “New York was nice, there was always something to do, and you could walk down a street and not meet a single person you knew.” He started the sentence with annoyance but trails off with a sigh. “No one there with any expectations, no one to tell you what to be… I could do anything I wanted.”

“And what makes you think that can’t happen here?” Mark asks turning to keep his eyes on the younger man. “You can do what you want.”

“Please,” Sebastian scoffs. “Everyone here just does what their parents did. They take over the same businesses and nothing changes. This town is as boring as bat shit.” Sebastian swims closer to Mark. “And what do you do Mr. Webber?”

Mark stares at him hard. “I’m a mechanic for the most part…”

“Yeah,” Sebastian nods happy to have his point proven, “Didn’t your father run that business?”

Mark’s eyes narrow. “I have no plans to be a mechanic my whole life, but if I am… so what? I don’t need lots of money and I like this place.”

“No one likes it here,” Sebastian argues. “People just tell themselves that so they don’t kill themselves because they can’t get out.”

Mark makes a dive for him, but Sebastian sees it coming, kicking away from him. “Your generation have no appreciation for simple things,” his voice wavers slightly, anger unmissable in his tone while he circles Sebastian like he was prey.

“Don’t make this an age thing,” Sebastian fumes.

“Not everything in life is about material possessions and money…”

“Because homeless people are so fucking happy,” Sebastian retorts sarcastically.

“Bet most of them are happier than you,” Mark snaps. “You have been raised by good people, lived your whole life practically in the lap of luxury, and have just finished studying at some snotty university and you still complain. You’re being a selfish shit. Jenson should have written you more tickets!”

Sebastian splashes water at Mark in fury, only for Mark to duck under the water and from sight. Angrily he tries to look for movement in the dark waters but he can’t see anything. Feeling exposed and getting angrier he kicks towards where they entered. He hadn’t gone far when a strong hand wraps around his lower leg. He can only let out a yelp of surprise before he is dragged under.

They wrestle under water, Sebastian using every opportunity to kick and hit the other man who was trying to get a hold of him. He felt a dart of triumph every time his foot, knee or elbow connected with Mark, but Mark was stronger and the only advantage he had was that he was quicker. Mark though eventually manages to get a hold of him, arms locked around his chest as they surface for air.

Both are gasping hard, and Sebastian was now angrier than before. “Let me go!” Struggling only sees Mark grip him tighter, the hands binding his wrists digging in and making him hiss.

“You are an arrogant shit,” Mark pants in his ear trying to keep them both above the water with Sebastian’s struggling. “I hope that you never find yourself without your fancy car, designer clothes or your precious money little Sebastian, because when you want something I’m going to take great pleasure in that if you ever show up on my doorstep.”

“Like I’d go to you!” He finally slips free of Mark and disappears into the water, desperate to swim away, because he knows Mark is there still. And far too soon Mark’s arm slips around him, though this time it comes as a surprise and he goes to gasp only to find he sucks in a mouthful of water. He needed air but Mark was rolling them over in the water, in what was a death roll. Sebastian’s struggling this time though stems from panic, he needed air. He scratches at Mark’s arms, kicks him with all his strength till he grows dizzy.

And then _finally_ there’s air, and he coughs, gasping for it as Mark holds him above the water. They were face to face this time, chests against the other as Mark held him loosely, his eyes not holding anger now but rather concern and a flicker of fear.

“You okay?” Mark asks as Sebastian’s fingers dig into his shoulder hard, his own gently trying to brush away runs of water from the young man’s face.

“You tried to kill me,” Sebastian whispers when he has his breath back.

“Kill John Vettel’s only son?” Mark’s mouth tugs into an amused smile, “Mate, if I did that, I wouldn’t get to finish landscaping your backyard.”

Without realising it, Sebastian slips his arms around Mark’s neck, mumbling, “But you’re a mechanic.” His eyes were locked with Mark’s, his face drawing closer.

“Who does landscaping on the side,” Mark answers softly, dragging a hand down Sebastian’s back slowly, fingers following his spine till they meet the edge of his briefs.

The simple action sets his skin on fire under Mark’s touch, and Sebastian becomes aware of just how much skin to skin contact was between them. They were practically naked and just to remind him of that, Mark moves and they slide against each in the water and Sebastian nearly whimpers at the sensation of it and his cock begins to grow hard. The moment Mark’s hands brush his ass, sanity snaps back into place and Sebastian shoves hard at Mark’s shoulders.

“Don’t touch me,” Sebastian orders loudly, his voice shaking violently. Mark looks surprised but holds up his hands. “I know what you are,” Sebastian continues glaring at him and wishing his heart would stop racing, “And I’m not gay!”

“Didn’t say you were,” Mark defends as Sebastian quickly swims back to their clothes.

“Take me back,” Sebastian says when they’re getting redressed.

“Say please,” Mark teases clearly not at all flustered like the younger man who was struggling to pull on his jeans over his wet legs.

“Fuck you,” Sebastian seethes.

“Well we could…” Mark smirks, “But you made it clear you weren’t into that.”

Sebastian wants to scream at him. This man was completely infuriating. “I hate you!” He turns and he starts stomping back up the path that would lead to the road, hearing Mark shout after him that he wasn’t doing much to prove that he wasn’t an 8 year old.

When Sebastian gets to the road he wishes that a car would just drive past, but he knows at this time of night that is going to be very unlikely.

“You going to walk back, or do you want a lift?”

Sebastian whirls around to see Mark putting on his helmet and how he would love to not have to get on that bike. But he storms over and gets on knowing there wasn’t a choice in the matter. Sebastian had never been so pleased to get back into the centre of town. He jumps off the back and away from Mark before he’d even come to a complete stop.

“Hey Jens,” Mark calls out. “Aren’t there fines for not riding with helmets?”

Sebastian freezes, whipping around to see Jenson walking towards them, the same cop that fined him parking on the sidewalk earlier that day. He’d been chatting to a few others just outside the bar. “No fucking way!” he shouts at them. “I did nothing wrong!”

“I’m sorry there Sebastian,” Jenson says in a serious voice, “But the law is the law!”

Sebastian glares at Mark who was still sitting on the bike, his gaze murderous. “You are a total asshole,” he hisses. “I’m going to have my father fire you!”

Jenson shoves a ticket at his chest, nearly falling over as he does, clearly intoxicated.

“Two fines in the one day Sebi boy, I wish you good luck with that,” Mark laughs as he revs up his bike and Sebastian jumps back when Mark roars off.

He spins around to stare at Jenson. “You’re going to pay for this,” Sebastian promises, “If it’s the last thing I do!” He turns and throws the ticket into the gutter as he storms towards his car.

“I’m going to fine you for littering!” Jenson shouts after him, but Sebastian doesn’t even look back as he slams his car door closed. He hated this whole fucking town, and everyone in it!

*          *          *

“DC! Wake up DC! David. David. _David_!”

David stumbles through his house as he hears Jenson yelling out from the front door. How come whenever Jenson got fucking wasted it was always him that looked after his younger partner? Jenson argues that his place was halfway to his own house, but seriously, so were a lot of other people’s, yet Jenson always had to show up on his doorstep singing out his name.

“Shut up,” David hisses grabbing Jenson’s arm and dragging him inside. “It’s late; I don’t want to wake the neighbours.”

“They’ll call the cops,” Jenson giggled clutching his neck tightly and hanging off him as he adds in a whispered voice, “Which is us.”

David grunts, half carrying, half dragging Jenson with him to the bedroom. Jenson slurring something about fining Mark’s helmet, the whole story made no sense, but he lets Jenson waffle on until they finally reach the bedroom. David dumps the younger man onto the bed. “Right,” David says helping Jenson to get comfortable, “In the morning, you and I are going to talk about you paying rent on weekends.”

Jenson lifts his head from the pillow, “Can I pay in sex?”

David laughs loudly at that throwing a blanket over Jenson roughly.

“I was being serious,” Jenson mutters, “Need some fucking fucks.”

“Night Jens,” David murmurs noticing that Jenson was nearly asleep now.

“Stay…” Jenson breathes out before the sound of snoring fills the room.

David just shakes his head and closes the door, making his way back to his own bed. Lying there he stares at the ceiling, his mind drifting back to Mark, as it always did lately. He had no idea what to do about him. He was still desperately in love with the man, and though his head knew that things were over, that Mark would never forgive him enough to take him back, his heart refused to let go.

He could no longer remember why he was so stupid, why he had gone and fucked around with someone else. At the time it had been thrilling, as much as he loved Mark they’d been together so long, things had fallen into a routine, and it was boring. But then when Mark had finally found out, and he had lost it all, lost Mark, David wanted nothing more than to have that boring life back. He was such an idiot. He takes a deep breath because he knows if he thinks about it too much he’ll cry.

He had Mark’s friendship, something that had taken months to get back, and that was miles better than nothing. But he had still wanted more, and he’d been hoping, longing for Mark to let them take that step back to lovers for months but now David was beginning to realise that they didn’t stand a chance to get back what they had. Mark was never going to let that happen, no matter how many times they had drunk sex.

Rolling over, David reaches out to touch the empty sheets next to him. “Mark… I’m so sorry, so fucking sorry…”

*          *          *


	3. Chapter 3

Mark turns off the chainsaw and steps back, lifting his arm to wipe the sweat from his brow. He’d spent most of the day clearing away trees from the back of the Vettels’ property. They were planning to continue landscaping another quarter acre of their property, which meant cutting into the woods. He notices Marina Vettel standing on the lawn in the distance waving to get his attention.

Putting the chainsaw down, Mark smiles at her and walks towards her, easily climbing up the rock retaining wall that currently stood as a boundary on the property between the backyard and the woods. Marina was holding a jug of lemonade and a glass full of ice.

“Would you like a drink Mark?” she asks with a friendly smile.

“Thanks,” he says taking a glass. His eyes drift up towards laughing and shouting.

“Sebastian has some friends over,” Marina tells him. “It’s good to see him fitting back in with his old friends, it mustn’t be easy coming back to a place you haven’t been in nearly three years.”

The Vettels’ property sloped quite heavily downward, the landscaped part was broken into tiers, each tier landscaped flat before there was a retaining wall of stones and another tier. Standing at the bottom, Mark couldn’t see exactly what was going on, nor could he see Sebastian from here, but he still stares in their direction. “He never came home while he was studying?” Curiosity gets the better of him, so Mark asks.

“No, John and I went to New York to visit him a few times a year. Sometimes I think he preferred it to here… but he seems to be fitting in well again,” Marina says also looking back towards the house, a look of relief on her face. “I just want him to be happy.”

Mark feels like telling her that Sebastian wasn’t happy, he seemed angry more than anything else at being ‘forced’ to return home. But it wasn’t his place to comment so he keeps his mouth shut. “Thanks for the drink Mrs. Vettel,” he says politely returning the glass to her tray.

“No problem dear,” she smiles at him. “And call me Marina.”

“Of course,” Mark nods watching as Marina made her way back to the house wearing ridiculous heels. Mark shakes his head and jumps back down to return to work, “Women…” he mutters.

Mark finishes up around dusk, when it was getting too dark to really work safely anymore. Packing up his things he makes his way back to his truck. He throws his things into the back on the tray of his truck before becoming aware that he was being watched. Looking up he sees Sebastian Vettel standing there leaning casually against his black Hummer parked next to him.

“Your party not exciting enough for you?” Mark asks as he secures his chainsaw.

“That’s a piece of junk,” Sebastian comments walking towards him and kicking a tyre of Mark’s beat up pickup.

Mark was slightly offended by that. “She’s treated me good,” he snaps. “Just because she doesn’t have a shiny coat of paint doesn’t make her a bad car. I can guarantee she’ll last longer than that thing you drive.”

Sebastian doesn’t say anything for a moment, just stares at Mark as he continues to pack up. Mark ignores him, because he couldn’t care less what Sebastian wanted. “You owe me $280,” he blurts out eventually.

“I owe you nothing,” Mark says calmly moving to the driver’s door that Sebastian was leaning on. But the kid makes no sign of moving when he reaches for the door handle. “Listen,” Mark sighs, “I didn’t mean to piss you off last night, but that doesn’t mean that what I said wasn’t the truth.”

“That’s a fucking stupid apology,” Sebastian glowers.

“Well considering you’re not offering one that makes me the bigger man here Sebi,” Mark says pulling open the door with enough force to make the younger man stumble.

“Don’t call me Sebi,” Sebastian snaps.

“Of course, sorry Cupcake,” Mark knows he’s taking far too much joy out of making Sebastian angry, but he can’t help himself. Starting up his truck he reverses out of the drive, looking over his shoulder as he backs up. “Holy shit!” he slams the brakes when his windscreen suddenly shatters, a large rock now sitting on the seat next to him. Killing the engine Mark jumps out of the car, livid, as he stares at Sebastian. “What the hell is your problem!?”

Mark storms towards the now terrified looking Sebastian, but he doesn’t run, and Mark grabs the front of his jumper, slamming him hard against the side of his hummer. “You want to kill someone?” Mark shouts at him. He shakes Sebastian hard, “You fucking moron!”

Sebastian yelps when Mark pulls him forward only to shove him back hard again, this time his head smacking in the glass behind him. “You deserved it!”

“And you need a fucking hiding, you spoilt little shit!”

“What the hell is going on out here?” John Vettel’s voice sees Sebastian stop trying to push Mark off him.

“He wants to kill me!” Sebastian yells out, only to fall silent when Mark’s arm slides up to press against his throat.

Mark really wants to punch the guy hard in the face, and he would have had Sebastian’s father not shown up. “Your son just broke my fucking windscreen,” Mark answers, not tearing his eyes off Sebastian’s face.

“What?” John asks shocked. “Sebastian?”

Sebastian doesn’t answer, trying to push Mark off him still.

“Mark,” John says grabbing Mark’s shoulder. “Get off him.”

It takes a lot of effort to release him, but he does, only to have Sebastian shove at him hard, which Mark returns so violently that Sebastian slams once more into his car before falling to his ass. “Don’t fucking touch me!” Mark yells at him. “I could have you arrested for attempted murder!”

That makes Sebastian’s eyes widen, “I was not trying to kill you!”

“You tell that to a fucking court!”

“Hey!” John shouts. “Mark,” he says pulling Mark further away from Sebastian. “I’ll pay for the truck; get you a nice new one if you like.”

“To keep your precious kid out of jail?” Mark sneers at him.

“He’s just a boy, I’ll pay for the truck,” John murmurs, hoping to calm down a raging Mark. “He wasn’t trying to kill you, he’s just angry. I’ll sort him out, don’t worry about that.”

“No,” Mark whispers, anger still bubbling away inside him. He clenches his fists tightly. “No, you’re not going to pay for it, Sebastian is. He’s going to work it off.”

“What!?” Sebastian shouts out. “I will fucking not!”

“Shut up!” John roars at his son.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning at 7am, and if you’re one minute late, I’m going straight to the fucking cops to press charges,” Mark promises loudly.

“Go to the cops! I don’t care!” Sebastian yells.

“Shut up Sebastian!” John shouts at him before looking back at Mark. “He’ll be there.”

John looks like he wanted to say something else, but Mark spins on his heel and storms back to his truck and restarting it. He can hear John screaming at Sebastian as he takes off despite his broken windshield. But he’d worry about that later.

*          *          *

Sebastian shows up at Mark’s mechanic dealer workshop at exactly 7am. Mark was opening up and, lifting the roller doors as he parks his Hummer. Every fibre in his being was telling him to just drive away, but his father had made it clear that wasn’t an option. Sulkily he jumps from the car, dragging his feet towards Mark.

Mark glances at him, freezing he stares at Sebastian. “What happened to your face?”

Sebastian rubs at the right side of his face, which was bruised and he had a black eye. “Nothing,” he snaps. “Mind your own damn business.”

Mark though walks over to him, grasping his chin and tilting his head back, fingers stroking his bruises softly. “Did your father hit you?” Mark looked shocked and Sebastian stands there letting Mark touch his face because it felt nice. “Seb,” Mark asks quietly, “Did your dad hit you?” he repeats the question eyes full of concern.

Sebastian goes to say no, but then decides what was the harm of one little lie. No point in bothering to explain that Simone’s brother had shown up last night and had hit him for abandoning his sister at a bar the other night. He looks away from Mark and puts on his best sad face, something that Mark must buy because there’s an arm around his shoulders suddenly.

“Come on,” Mark says gently, pulling him inside, “I’ll get you a coffee and something for your face.”

Sebastian doesn’t know what to make of Mark, he was being all concerned and caring, nothing like the mad loon he was the previous afternoon. “Its fine,” he mutters, “Forget it, what do you want me to do?” He felt a little guilty about what happened, and he had after being grounded and losing his car from his dad (except to report for Mark duty), cooled down.

“If you’re sure,” Mark says worriedly.

He’s led to a small office that looked like it was a dumping ground for paper. “I need some filing done…”

“No shit,” Sebastian comments, taken aback.

Mark looks slightly embarrassed, “Yeah… I’m not so fond of paperwork. Normally Lewis takes care of it, but he’s out of town at the moment.”

“Right,” Sebastian says swallowing not at all sure where to start. Mark squeezes his shoulder telling him to get him if he needed anything. And then Sebastian was alone and he stands there for a long moment before dropping into the only chair in the tiny office and picking up papers.

*          *          *

“Mark?”

Mark lifts his head from under the hood of the car he was working on when he hears Jenson’s voice. “Hey mate,” Mark greets, grabbing a rag to wipe the grease from his fingers. He gives a tight smile at David who was standing next to him, one that is barely returned. Both men were dressed in uniform and both were eating a donut – Mark was sure that was all they ate all day; they were doing nothing for dispersing stereotypes.

“What did you want to see us about?” Jenson asks, but both David and he turn their heads when Mark nods in the direction of the office. They could see Sebastian Vettel inside, swinging on a chair and looking bored.

“What’s he doing here?” David asks interested.

“Long story,” Mark mutters. “But he showed up this morning for work with a black eye and half his face bruised…”

“Probably a fight with one of his mates,” Jenson shrugs off.

“His father hit him,” Mark states bluntly.

“You sure?” Jenson asks, “John Vettel doesn’t seem the violent type.”

“Well I’ve heard the man go off at the kid, not that he didn’t deserve it, but still you don’t hit your kids,” Mark says, far too many memories from his own childhood were resurfacing.

“Hey,” David says knowingly moving to squeeze his arm reassuringly. “Firstly he’s not a defenceless kid, he’s a grown up guy who will have to press charges himself…”

Mark glares frustrated at that. “You’re cops, you’re meant to do stuff about this kind of thing! Just look at his face for crying out loud!”

“The law doesn’t work like that,” Jenson says though he does look over once more at Sebastian, his eyes focusing on the young man’s face through the dirty glass panel. “If you want something done about it…”

“Take care of it myself?” Mark cuts in annoyed.

“No!” David says hurriedly, an alarmed expression on his face.

“I was going to suggest,” Jenson says sharply, “To _talk_ to Sebastian about it.”

“For god’s sake Mark,” David hisses at him, “Don’t do anything stupid. Not that what the man did was right, but we’re not talking about Joe Bloggs here, we’re talking about John Vettel. You mess with him and who knows where you’ll end up!”

“I have no intentions of going near the man,” Mark snaps, “Calm down David.” He already worked out it would be best stay out of John Vettel’s path right now, because he didn’t trust himself.

“Mark!” All three men turn to see Sebastian standing there. “When’s lunch?”

Mark stares at him trying not get upset at how beaten up he looked. “In about three hours,” he answers. “Keep filing!”

“Can’t I do something else?” Sebastian whines at him. “Can I fix a car?”

“Can you fix a car?” Mark retorts.

“Can’t be that hard,” Sebastian shrugs walking over to them, though he doesn’t once look at Jenson. “What’s wrong with this one?” He peers under the hood of the car Mark had been working on.

“Needs a new alternator,” Mark answers. “Put a new one in for me hey?”

“A new what?” Sebastian asks looking up.

“Go back and file,” Mark orders and Sebastian looks pissed but he does stalk off.

Once Sebastian had disappeared, Jenson repeats what he said earlier, “Maybe just talk to him, and try not to snap all the time, hey?”

Jenson and David head off and Mark returns to work, busying himself till lunch time. He then goes to get Sebastian to see if he wanted to join him, only to find the younger man slumped on the desk sleeping. It takes all his energy to not go off, remembering Jenson’s advice.

“Sebastian?” Mark says through gritted teeth, and Sebastian sits up looking startled. “I’ve got frozen pizza for lunch if you want some?”

Sebastian wrinkles his nose but then sighs. “Fine.”

Mark heads upstairs, he had a small apartment above the mechanics shop that was much too small, but it was enough just for him. Sebastian follows him in, and he waits for a comment about his dwellings but there isn’t one, Sebastian just goes and sits down on the couch and turns on the television.

“You have cable?” he asks as he starts flipping channels.

“No,” Mark answers going to the freezer. “I don’t have time to watch TV.”

“You just fix cars and landscape then?” Sebastian asks turning off the TV and lying down, stretching out on the length of the couch. “Don’t you do anything fun?”

Shoving the pizzas into his oven Mark straightens up and looks over at Sebastian, eyes drawn to the flesh that is revealed when Sebastian’s shirt rides up. He tears his eyes upwards. “Sometimes I randomly go swimming in the middle of the night with strangers, but I’m thinking of giving that up.”

Sebastian snorts at that and then rolls onto his side and grins. “More like you lure unsuspecting strangers to remote locations and try and drown them.”

“Tell me what happened with your face?” Mark asks quietly and Sebastian’s smile is gone.

“I told you it doesn’t matter,” he answers rolling once more onto his back and staring at his ceiling.

“Does your Dad beat you up all the time? Is that why you didn’t want to come back?” Mark presses on, moving towards Sebastian till he was looking down over at him.

“Why do you care?” Sebastian asks staring up at him, his blue eyes full of confusion. “You wanted to hit me yesterday.”

“Your father shouldn’t hit you,” Mark says softly, “For any reason.”

Sebastian looks uncomfortable. “Did your Dad hit you?”

Mark swallows, remember his father’s bursts of violent fury that had been taken out on him far too much as a kid. “Yeah,” he confesses after a long moment. “He stopped when I hit him back and knocked him out when I was 17.”

Sebastian blinks at that, swallowing as he whispers, “Good.”

“You should go to the police,” Mark urges, “Press charges. People like that…”

Sebastian sits up alarmed. “No! Fuck.”

Mark sits next to him then. “Hey, I’m not going to say anything to them, I’m just saying you should consider it, or at least hit the bastard back…”

“And what makes you think I’m the only one that looks like this?” Sebastian asks haughtily.

“Does he?” Mark asks reaching out to again stroke the bruises on Sebastian’s face. He wanted to kiss them better but doubted that would be received well.

Sebastian though doesn’t push his hand away as he answers, “He has his own black eye, don’t worry about that. Maybe a broken nose…”

“Good,” Mark smiles. “No one should hit you Sebi, no one…”

“Don’t call me that,” Sebastian grumbles.

“Your Mum calls you that,” Mark says dropping his hand.

“You’re not my Mum though are you? And it makes me seem like a child. I’m not.”

“I know,” Mark says staring into Sebastian’s blue eyes, thinking how pretty they were. He jumps to his feet when the bell on the oven sounds, hurrying away to grab the pizza telling himself to stop having thoughts about the kid sitting on his couch. It wasn’t going to lead anywhere, and he was a spoilt brat… one that had a father that liked to beat him. And that was Mark’s weakness. He’d been there, knew what it was like. Maybe Sebastian just needed a friend… he could do that.

*          *          *


	4. Chapter 4

Sebastian was sitting in a booth in the diner eating a burger with Jaime and Nico. They were quizzing him about his first week with Mark. It was actually going pretty well. Mark hadn’t yelled at him much; in fact Mark went out of his way to chat to him whenever he had a spare moment. They ate lunch together everyday, and Mark had even invited him to the bar after work, but he’d turned that offer down.

He was feeling a _tad_ guilty because he knew the only reason Mark was being nice to him was because he thought his father had hit him. He hadn’t been expecting to find out that Mark was from some domestic violent home, but he knew that fessing up to Mark about the truth would only make the other man furious because he doubted Mark told everyone that he had been beaten up as a kid.

“How long you gotta work there for?” Jaime asks before stuffing his mouth full of chips.

“I thought you were meant to work for your Dad?” Nico adds.

“I work for my Dad when Mark says I paid him back for the windscreen. But Mark says I’m unqualified, having a degree isn’t enough unless I can fix a car, so I get minimum wage and apparently the windscreen costs a fucking fortune, so I might be there a few weeks.” Sebastian was unimpressed that Mark was forcing this upon him especially when his father offered to pay for the repairs. That being said, it wasn’t too bad, he spent most of that time swinging on a chair in his office.

“You want to go away this weekend?” Nico asks. “We could head to the city…”

“Can’t,” Sebastian mutters cutting him off. “Have to help my Dad cut up trees.” That was something else he hadn’t seen of his consequences of lying, Mark telling his father that he wouldn’t do the landscaping at his parents house. At first he thought it was a good thing because then Mark wouldn’t say anything to his dad, but his father had blamed him for Mark abandoning the project. And now he had to cut up all the trees Mark hadn’t gotten around to.

“Your face is looking better,” Jaime changes the subject. “I heard Bruno has a broken nose.”

“Good,” Sebastian snaps. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Well,” Nico starts but shuts his mouth when Sebastian glares at him.

“Where did you go anyway?” Jaime asks. “Find some hotter looking chick?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Sebastian mutters looking at his burger. There was no way he was going to tell his friends he went swimming with Mark; they’d get the wrong idea. And there was certainly no wrong idea to get. Nico and Jaime were looking at him curiously but they just shrug and then start talking about their weekend plans which Sebastian couldn’t partake in. He was going to blame Mark Webber for that.

*          *          *

Mark shuts off his bike looking up at the Vettels’ property long and hard before getting off his bike. He can hear a chainsaw in the distance which makes him pretty sure that John Vettel wasn’t going to answer the front door. And sure enough when he knocks, it’s Marina that answers, looking surprised to see him.

“I need to see Sebastian if he’s around?”

Marina reels in her surprise, “Of course. He’s out the back with his father…”

Before she can turn away, Mark adds quickly, “Just tell him someone here’s to see him, not who.” The last thing he wanted was John coming up with his son, and Marina gets the point because she nods and disappears. Mark heads back to his bike to wait for Sebastian who shows up a few minutes later.

“Hey,” Sebastian greets looking surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving you,” Mark smiles holding up a helmet for him. “You shouldn’t have to cut trees because I quit the job.”

Sebastian grins and bounds towards him happily. “That’s right,” he agrees taking the helmet.

“Plus,” he says as Sebastian climbs on the back of his bike, “You’ve worked hard all week…” he smiles as he adds, “Well, _pretended_ to work hard all week.”

Sebastian grins and wraps his arms around Mark as the bike starts up. “Where are we going?”

Mark doesn’t answer; he just takes off, enjoying the feel of Sebastian’s arms around him. He knew he was growing far too attached to the kid, but he couldn’t help it. A few minutes later he parks the bike in front of a modest looking home that had cars parked all over the front lawn. Mark weaves the bike as close to the house as he could before shutting off the engine.

The moment their helmets are off, they could hear he music and laughter flooding from the backyard. “Who’s party?”

“Jenson’s,” Mark answers, “And don’t look like that. He’s a good guy.”

“He didn’t write you pointless tickets,” Sebastian snaps but he lets Mark take his hand and pull him to the house.

“Ignore the tickets,” Mark suggests, “Or I can take you home to finish cutting up trees.”

“No,” Sebastian sulks before pulling his hand from Mark’s when they step into the house and into the potential view of guests.

The house was empty, everyone seemed to be outside, but Mark stops at the fridge to grab a few cases of beer. He passes one to Sebastian and then both head out to the back. There were at least twenty or so people outside.

“Hey mate,” Mark says dumping a case of beer in his lap. “Happy birthday.” He looks at Sebastian, “Sebi,” he coaxes.

Sebastian steps forward quickly, “Happy birthday,” he mumbles dumping the case in front of Jenson, but he was smiling the moment he stood back up and looked at Mark who winked at him.

“Thanks,” Jenson grins, “You should have put them in the fridge upstairs.”

“Thought you might like a top up,” Mark says bending down to open the box and grab a beer for himself and Sebastian. “Here Sebi, from Jenson as an apology for writing you a ticket.”

Sebastian takes it, flashing Jenson a grin, who just rolls his eyes in return. Mark takes him around to introduce him to all the guys. Most of them were cops, and Sebastian doesn’t do much to remember all their names, he just sticks to Mark’s side. They weren’t the kind of people he planned on spending time with. After they’ve done the rounds, both sit down on a log in the backyard watching as guys troop around throwing sticks and other dried wood onto a huge pile.

“What are they doing?’ Sebastian queried curiously.

“Bonfire,” Mark answers.

“Jenson going to fine them?”

Mark laughs and gets to his feet. “Another beer mate?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian says crushing his empty can with his foot.

Mark heads back to Jenson who was using the case of beer as a footstool. David was standing next to him, who bends down to get him two cans, offering them when Mark comes to a stop. “Bonding with the kid are we Mark?”

“He’s not so bad,” Mark shrugs taking the beer from David.

“He do your filing yet?” Jenson asks.

Mark smirks. “No, he’s taking his time. That’s fine. He doesn’t get to leave till it’s all done; he can take seven years if he wants. The windscreen just gets to become more expensive then. I told him it had to be shipped from France.”

Jenson starts laughing, and David grins.

“You get a new landscaping gig?” David asks curiously.

“Nah,” Mark says. “Not a lot going. The one for John would have taken weeks, but it’s fine. I should have enough money to do the next stage I want anyway…” Mark looks over his shoulder back at Sebastian who was staring at him. “I’ll talk to you about it later.”

Sebastian smiles when Mark returns and sits back next to him. He felt out of place here, he didn’t know anyone. Knew who they were yes, but these weren’t people his family socialised with. Too many people were staring at him like he was that rich kid and he hated that look. Sebastian shuffles closer to Mark, feeling cold and wanting some of Mark’s warmth. Mark just smiles at him and opens the beers he got.

They spend the next few hours chatting, Sebastian watching with interest when the fire gets lit, providing not just warmth but also where their dinner was to be cooked. He looks down when Mark’s hand falls to his jean clad knee, his fingers drawing circles where they fell. It sent tingles shooting up his leg to his groin and he swallows but makes no move to push his hand away. And Mark carries on talking like nothing strange had happened.

“Do you want another drink?” Mark asks squeezing his knee to get his attention.

Sebastian shakes his head hoping Mark wasn’t going to leave because then he would take his hand and he was enjoying it. Mark doesn’t get up, but his hand slides further up, now rubbing his leg and Sebastian feels cock start to harden at the simple touch. What the hell was wrong with him? But he still doesn’t push Mark away; instead he pushes his leg harder into Mark’s, his legs parting a little more as invitation.

Mark’s hand slides further up, neither of them were talking now and Sebastian was just focused on Mark’s touch, the ceaseless rubbing and patting on his inner thigh, his breathing growing shallower each time Mark moved a few inches higher.

“Hey!”

Mark’s hand is suddenly gone and both look up to see Jenson bringing over two plates of food. “Aren’t you two the social bunnies tonight,” he grins holding out the plates.

Sebastian glares at him but takes the plate, he was hungry. And then to annoy Sebastian further, Jenson sits on the other side of him, chatting away as he picks at Sebastian’s food. Sebastian notes that Mark seemed oddly quiet, Jenson doing all the talking while they ate.

“Hey Jens,” Mark says interrupting Jenson’s spiel about something or rather. “Get us another beer mate?”

“Sure thing,” Jenson jumps to his feet. “Sebi?”

Sebastian’s head snaps up at the name and his eyes narrow. “Sure.”

The moment Jenson has turned his back Mark is getting to his feet. “Come on,” Mark says offering Sebastian his hand. “Want to go for a walk?”

Sebastian takes it, that familiar warmth making its way up his arm when he does; he could easily get addicted to that. “Where?” he asks, but Mark just leads him towards the back of the yard and towards the woods. There was a small fence that had fallen over and they both step over it. Sebastian slows, pulling Mark to a stop, “I don’t want to go too far,” he says, not at all liking the fact that it was dark. “I got lost in the woods once as a kid…”

Mark smiles and tugs him along, “Just far enough in, you’ll be able to see the fire and I’m here.”

“’K,” he mutters, walking behind Mark, eyes straining in the darkness so he doesn’t twist an ankle on the uneven ground.

Mark stops next to a big tree and he spins Sebastian gently by the hips. “See the fire?” he whispers in Sebastian’s ear, making him shiver as Mark’s arm comes around his stomach.

“Yeah,” he whispers, suddenly breathless and realising how very alone they were. He gasps when Mark kisses his neck.

“Tell me to stop,” Mark says softly, his breath against his skin making Sebastian’s nerve endings jump on end.

“Stop,” Sebastian says but it comes out in a moan and Mark’s hands were now petting his stomach and chest. Mark presses a kiss near his ear and he gasps, pressing back into Mark in response.

“Say it like you mean it,” Mark orders, his teeth catching Sebastian’s earlobe.

Sebastian’s knees shake as Mark plays with his earlobe, tugging it with his teeth, sucking on it. Who knew earlobes could be such a turn on? “Mark…please,” he gasps not at all sure what he wanted. His body was screaming for one thing and his head was telling him to walk away right now. And then Mark was turning and pushing him, and he’s soon up against a tree, Mark hard against him.

“Seb,” Mark rasps his name in such a low groan that Sebastian’s cock jerks to full hardness. Never in his life had he gotten turned on so fast, and right now thinking was near impossible. Mark’s hands cup his face, thumbs brushing across his cheeks, “I want to kiss you so badly…”

The thought makes Sebastian whimper, eyes fixed on Mark’s mouth in the dim light. “But I can’t…” his head forces the protest out but his hands were tugging Mark closer. “This is wrong…” Mark’s nose was against his now, nuzzling him affectionately.

“Let me kiss you,” Mark begs, “Just once… you have the most perfect lips…”

Sebastian was letting Mark spread his legs wider so he could stand in between them. And Mark wanted to kiss him, his head was spinning slightly. Even though he knows he shouldn’t he whispers, “Just once?”

“Just one,” Mark agrees inching his mouth closer.

“’K,” Sebastian breathes out, “One…” The moment the word is out, Mark’s lips touch his, and Sebastian’s eyes flutter closed and he sees fireworks go off making him gasp. No kiss had made him feel like this, no girl he had kissed had made it feel like the world just stopped. Mark’s tongue snakes out slipping between his parted lips in search of his.

Sebastian’s arms fly around Mark’s neck then, pulling him closer and opening his mouth wider the moment their tongues slide together. Nothing else mattered anymore but kissing Mark. He never wanted to stop this; he wanted to kiss this man forever, over and over. Their kiss goes on and on until air becomes an issue and they break apart, gasping for breath for just a moment before Sebastian is pulling Mark back for more, mouths crashing together once again, and their kisses become slightly more desperate.

Sebastian gasps for air when Mark finally tears his mouth from his to seek out more skin. He kisses and sucks Sebastian’s neck and throat, trying to find all the spots that make Sebastian whimper. And soon the only thing keeping Sebastian on his feet was Mark, his legs are like jelly as Mark’s mouth tortures him in a way he’d never experienced. He feels teeth sink into his neck, Mark sucking on his skin to the point of pain and he cries out, fisting Mark’s hair in the process.

Mark rips back suddenly, “We need to stop,” he gasps to Sebastian. He lets Sebastian go only for Sebastian to whimper and slide towards the ground. “Fuck Seb,” Mark pulls him back up.

Sebastian felt like he was going to blow his load and Mark hadn’t even touched his cock, and he needed relief so badly because his cock was aching. It takes him a long time to process that Mark was now just holding him and stroking his hair, no longer driving him insane with his mouth.

“Seb, feel better?” Mark asks after a couple of minutes.

Sebastian was still gripping him tightly and his cock was still throbbing. “No,” he whispers as it starts to filter in what they had just done: make out like they were a couple of teenagers.

Mark pulls back, letting him go, and this time Sebastian stays on his feet. “Did we go too far?” Mark asks hesitantly stroking his cheek.

His body was screaming not far enough but he answers with his head, “Yes.” He pushes Mark further back and then stumbles back towards the party as quickly as he could. His heart was beating hard, and the closer he gets back to the party, to the real world the more he begins to panic over what had just happened. He made out with a guy. He made out with a _guy_ and liked it. He made out with a guy and liked it and wanted _more_. He wants to cry when he stumbles over the fence.

“Seb, wait,” Mark says trying to stop him. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“No,” Sebastian tells him choking. “Don’t touch me.” When Mark catches his elbow, Sebastian jerks free and then stalks quickly through the guys hanging around the fire.

“Where have you two been?” David asks stepping in front of them. Sebastian just stares at David horrified as Mark snaps at him to fuck off. David though pushes the can of beer in his hand against Sebastian’s neck. “Nice hickey.”

Sebastian’s hand flies to his neck. “What did you do to me?” he shouts at Mark.

“Seb calm down,” Mark hisses as people start to look at them.

“Leave me alone,” Sebastian orders turning and just about running towards the house. He only slows when he gets to the front yard, only to realise that Mark had followed him.

“Let me take you home Seb,” Mark pleads.

Sebastian blinks away tears as he spins around to look at Mark. “I am not gay!” he shouts at Mark.

“Okay,” Mark says hurriedly, “Okay.” He reaches towards Sebastian, “Let me take you home, please?”

“No,” Sebastian says backing up so fast he nearly trips on his feet. “Keep away from me.”

“Seb, I didn’t force myself on you,” Mark tells him quietly, “You wanted it as well…”

And that’s what terrified Sebastian more than anything. Tears flood his eyes, “Stay away from me,” he repeats and then he turns and begins the walk home. Mark doesn’t come after him, and it doesn’t make him feel any better as he speeds up. He just wanted to go home and never think of Mark Webber again.

*          *          *

Mark was lying on the grass near the bonfire that was flickering away with the last of its life. He stares at a sky that didn’t hold a star tonight, a near empty beer can in his hand. Most of the people that had come to Jenson’s party had left by now. A gentle kick to his side makes him turn his head to see David standing there.

“You want a lift home?”

“Nah, I’m right mate,” Mark answers taking another swig of beer as he answers.

“You and this Sebastian kid…”

“It’s nothing,” Mark sighs, his heart sinking as he replies. He didn’t know if Sebastian was straight or gay, but it was clear that he was confused and he’d stay away, he didn’t need to make Sebastian’s life anymore complicated, no matter what he was feeling.

“You in love with him?” David asks quietly.

“No,” Mark answers stiffly though he wasn’t sure if that was a lie, things felt a little skewed in his head and he wasn’t sure everything he felt wasn’t stemming from the fact that Sebastian might come from a home similar to his own.

“You only looked at him differently because his dad beat him up,” David starts about to tell him that was hardly a reason to start a relationship.

“It’s far more than that,” Mark snaps, because it was.

“He’s not you Mark and he doesn’t need saving,” David murmurs.

Mark sits up before getting to his feet. “I don’t need your opinion,” he snaps, “You’d rather I was with you than anyone else.”

David winces. “Sure, but that doesn’t mean I want you to be miserable Mark. I don’t like this kid, don’t trust him.”

“Well, he hasn’t been fucking around behind my back for a year, so he gets to sit above you in the trust column,” Mark retorts shoving passed him.

But David follows him. “Do you have to bring that up every damn time?” He was angry.

“I get that privilege,” Mark stops to sneer at him.

“When you forgive someone Mark, you don’t keep throwing it in their face,” David snaps. “I’m trying to offer you some advice _as a friend_!”

“Bullshit,” Mark shouts. “You offer _advice_ as a jealous ex!”

“You want me to be a jealous ex and sabotage the non-existent relationship you have with a confused straight kid?” David seethes.

“Give it your best shot,” Mark challenges.

“Fine,” David says as Mark throws his empty beer car at the ground. “Bruno Senna came to the station three days ago to press assault charges against Sebastian Vettel for busting up his nose in a fight. His father came in and had them dropped of course. I really don’t think that kid is getting beaten up by his father, rather brothers of girls he leaves stranded in pubs.”

Mark sucks in his breath at that not sure whether David was telling the truth or lying, but he had a horrible feeling he was telling the truth from the way David was smirking at him. Furious, Mark leaps at him, catching David by surprise and they both go tumbling to the ground. Mark lands on top of David, and he raises his arm, his fist hurtles at David, but the man below him moves at the last moment, his hand slamming painfully hard into the ground.

David throws Mark off him, when Mark cries out at the pain that vibrates up his arm. “Is it that hard to believe that the delinquent boy isn’t getting beaten by his father?” David pins Mark down, not trying to hit him just wanting him to see the truth. “He’s not you Mark!”

“Get the hell off me,” Mark shouts.

“He’s not you,” David repeats, gripping Mark’s shirt tightly before shoving him back into the ground and stumbling to his feet.

Mark lies there breathing hard, nursing his hand that was throbbing. He sits up slowly to see David walking back over with two beers. He holds one out to Mark, and he takes it after a moment, opening it with his left hand because his right he can barely move. He’s pretty sure he’s broken it. He pulls his knees up, his head dropping down as David its next to him on the ground, both drinking in silence before Mark speaks after a long while.

“Bruno Senna?”

“Yeah,” David mutters.

Mark sips at his beer trying not to feel as hurt as he did right now but failing miserably.

“You okay?” David asks quietly.

“Yeah, just pleased I never went around decked John Vettel…”

David grins. “Would have been interesting to see the fallout for Sebastian though.”

Mark doesn’t smile and instead just holds up his right hand. “Think I broke it,” he says, changing the subject.

David’s smile is gone and he looks concerned. “Want me to drive you to Sid’s clinic?”

“Yeah, when I finish the beer,” Mark mutters, and David nods.

“We okay?” David asks hesitantly after a long moment.

“Yeah mate,” Mark answers with a sigh. “As good as we’ll ever be…”

The response makes David smile sadly. “Well if you want me to arrest Sebastian for you and throw him in a cell for the hell of it, let me know.”

That makes Mark smile. “As much as I would enjoy that, I think I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to see him again.”

“Too bad this fucking town is so tiny, we’ll probably trip over him on the way to the clinic,” David sighs getting to his feet.

Mark stumbles to his own then. “If we do, I give you permission to deck him.”

“For the record, I’ll be happy to.”

Both men smile at each as they walk towards David’s car.

*          *          *

When Sebastian gets home, he practically races for the stairs wanting to go to his room and not have to face either of his parents. He hears his mother call out to him, and he takes the stairs two at a time, quickening his pace as he slams his hands over his neck in paranoia. He didn’t want anyone to see what Mark had done to him.

Upstairs he goes straight to the bathroom, locking the door and going to the mirror. He rubs at his red eyes before staring in horror at the light bruise that was visible on his neck, but with a collared shirt it should be okay. No one would see it then and no one would ask questions. He relaxes a little, his heart slowing down as he slowly begins to undress, wanting a shower.

He spends a good deal of time scrubbing his face and neck desperate to remove the memory of Mark’s mouth on his skin, but all he succeeds in doing is turning his skin bright red. And he still remembers it all, everything from how warm Mark’s mouth was, how surprisingly soft his lips were and how his tongue would flick over his and across his skin in the most delightful way.

There wasn’t anything he could do stop his moan, so he just bites down hard on his lower lip, one hand reaching to grasp his leaking erection that he could no longer ignore. Sebastian turns to lean on the wall, closing his eyes as he slowly begins to tug on his length, trying to think of something other than Mark. But that’s all his mind would recall, and it’s in excruciating detail and it makes his orgasm rush up fast and when he comes, it’s harder than anything he could remember. He can barely stay on his feet and his body is wracked with shudders as he comes down.

Before he even realises it, he is sobbing, guilt flooding him hard. He just jerked off thinking about Mark, another _guy_ , one that he had made out with and enjoyed far too much. It was wrong; there was something wrong with him. He wasn’t gay, he liked girls, he was sure of it. He slides to the tiled floor, sitting under the stream of water, his tears indistinguishable under the spray. Angry and frustrated with himself, he punches his hand towards the shower screen, pain jarring through his hand when a large crack suddenly appears. He can only glare at it before tipping his head back trying to drown himself under the spray.

*          *          *


	5. Chapter 5

David sits in his patrol vehicle happily eating a donut when at quarter to seven a black Hummer goes zooming passed. “Right on time,” he says dusting off his hands and putting his donut down. He starts the car and turns on the siren setting off after Sebastian Vettel.

A few minutes later Sebastian pulls over looking none too impressed, but his face pales slightly when he sees David. “I wasn’t speeding,” he snaps.

“Your tail light is out,” David tells him coolly.

Sebastian opens his car door and jumps out then, stalking to the back of his car to check for himself. “It looks fine,” he sees irritated.

David pulls out his baton then and swings it hard at the back light shattering it. “Check again,” he states.

“What the hell did you do that for?” Sebastian shouts.

“Mark is a good friend of mine _Sebi_ ,” David snaps, “You go and tell him your father beat the shit out of you, only for that to be a lie, because that was Bruno Senna…”

Sebastian swallows. “I didn’t _say_ it was my Dad,” he defends, “Mark just assumed!”

“But you didn’t correct him,” David sneers. “Mark’s a good guy and he deserves more than some smartass shit.”

“Please don’t tell him…” It’s a whispered plea, but Sebastian doesn’t care that he begs because he doesn’t want to hurt Mark with the truth.

David in response just swings his baton again, smashing the other tail light of Sebastian’s car. The young man wincing as it shatters. “I’m watching you.” He snatches the beanie off Sebastian’s head and throws it in the dirt.

Sebastian fights back tears as David walks back to his patrol car. He stays pressed to the tailgate till David had pulled away before sagging down until he was squatting in the dirt reaching for his beanie. He presses the heels of his palms into his eyes trying to hold back his tears. God, he was so fucked up right now. He wanted to take back that lie he said to Mark, he wanted to take back Saturday as well. He stays on the side of the road till he has pulled himself back together before he gets back into his car and continues heading to Mark’s for work, though David had ensured that he was going to be late.

*          *          *

Mark hadn’t really been expecting Sebastian to show up on Monday, but he does albeit late. He watches Sebastian jump out of his Hummer and walk towards him hesitantly and Mark straightens up from leaning over the car he was fixing. Sebastian stops near the car and they just stare at each other.

“What did you do to your hand?” Sebastian breaks the silence but not the awkward tension between them.

“Nothing,” Mark answers coldly and Sebastian looks upset at the response but doesn’t push.

“Okay if I order some rear tail lights for my car? I’ll pay…”

“Do what you want, but find your own mechanic to fit them,” Mark answers before he goes back to working on the car.

“Mark,” Sebastian says quietly but Mark refuses to acknowledge him and eventually he hears Sebastian walk off.

Mark pulls at his hair in frustration. He battles with going after Seb and fixing things or making the kid suffer. “Suffer,” he mutters to himself, “Let him suffer, just for a bit longer…” He returns to working on the car, struggling since he only had one hand, the other in plaster and just about completely useless.

A voice in his head was telling him to get Sebastian to help but he wasn’t going to ask that fucking brat that seemed to be able to lie to him like it was another language. He shoves aside the fleeting thought of how great that fucking brat was with his mouth at other things. He did not want to recall his time in the woods with Sebastian because that was the biggest damn mistake of his life.

Mark decides on an early lunch even though he was so far behind schedule. He stops at the office door to see Sebastian mucking around on the computer, cursing under his breath as he tries to remove some error box that kept dinging back up. He takes a moment to enjoy the other’s man frustration before alerting him to his presence. “I’m having an early lunch.”

Sebastian whips around startled. “Already? But you need to finish…”

“When you own this place Sebastian then you can dictate lunch break times, until then keep your trap shut on things that don’t concern you!” Mark hadn’t meant to raise his voice but his frustration slips out and his response is verging on shouting.  Sebastian’s face crumples, the younger man gripping the edge of the desk and Mark thinks he might actually be fighting tears, and he didn’t think he could stand to watch him cry. He turns and walks off, stomping upstairs to his apartment where he bypasses the kitchen to lie down on his bed.

He cradles his plastered hand and arm to his chest letting the throbbing pain become his only focus. His life was meant to have been complicated enough with his David issues, so how the hell had he let some kid ruin his recovery plans?

*          *          *

Sebastian was standing in front of a customer, Sina Rosberg who was screeching at him about her car not being ready. He didn’t know what to use as an excuse, he didn’t want to put Mark even further on his bad side by saying that the boss had gone for an early lunch and then hadn’t returned. All he could do was smile politely and take the hissy fit, which was probably well warranted just at him.

Eventually she left, with her unfixed car when Sebastian had failed to convince her to leave it. After she roared off with squealing tyres, he had spun on his heel and stormed upstairs to Mark’s apartment. If Mark was so pissed he couldn’t be near him then Mark should fire him instead of ruining his business’s reputation. Hell he didn’t want to be here in the first place!

“Mark!” He doesn’t knock, just throws open the unlocked door and stalks in. The place was eerily quiet and he walks through the small apartment to the bedroom since Mark wasn’t visible anywhere in the living area. He finds Mark, sprawled across his bed and fast asleep, and Sebastian’s mouth goes dry.

For a moment Sebastian stops breathing as he takes in Mark in half naked form. He can’t do anything to stop his eyes greedily soaking up the sight of the near endless display of flesh, following the gentle sway in Mark’s back to his jean covered ass. When he thought it couldn’t get any better Mark had rolled over, shifting around on top of the sheets like he wasn’t at ease, grunting before Sebastian gets to take in the other side of the view.

Mark wasn’t beefy, he was lean with just enough muscle, a body more of a runner. He was slim enough that his ribs were just visible but not enough that he looked underfed. His eyes take in all the details, from the spattering of hair on his chest, to his completely flat stomach and the line of dark hair that disappeared in his pants. He could do nothing to stop the noise from coming his throat, a noise that was somewhere between a moan and a whimper as his cock begins to pay attention at the display before him.

It turns out that’s the noise that wakes Mark, not the sounds of his loud entrance, but a half strangled sound of approval that has the older man’s eyes flutter open. Sebastian feels like his been caught committing some sin, eyes widening as Mark stares at him groggily while his face flushed hot. He couldn’t look anymore; he turns and walks out terrified he’d act on the voice that was telling him filthy things. Where the hell had that voice come from suggesting him to join Mark on the bed, straddle him, kiss him senseless, lick every inch of exposed flesh, nuzzle that completely enticing line of hair under Mark’s navel that led into his pants…

When he reaches the shop’s office he stands there, unable to get his brain to think, and his cock so hard it hurt all because he was bombarded with thoughts of what he wanted to do Mark.

“Seb?”

Sebastian spins around to see Mark behind him still shirtless, though he was trying to rectify it as he shrugged on his work shirt. But it’s not fast enough and some noise leaves him that has his ears now burning as Mark struggles to do up the buttons. If Mark hears he pretends not to notice but it does nothing to ease his blush or his raging hard-on that was pressing against the zip of his jeans.

“Did you want something?” Mark asks, giving up on his shirt with a grunt.

Sebastian’s eyes widen wondering how Mark could know what he wants. He was on the verge of panicking before some reason takes hold of him. “Mrs Rosberg took her car back…” His voice was far too shaky and he couldn’t stop staring at Mark’s exposed chest, he wants Mark to button that up _now_.

“Fuck,” Mark curses anger flashing through those beautiful hazel eyes. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”

Sebastian winces at Mark’s tone, a reminder that they weren’t on good terms. “I didn’t think you wanted to see me,” he answers coldly. “And it’s not my job to tell you what schedule to work on.”

“Listen here you little shit,” Mark hisses at him, “You better drop the fucking attitude because otherwise this is going to be a painful few months for you.”

“Months?” He screeched at that, but he had already worked out he only had another week left here to pay off Mark’s stupid fucking windscreen.

Mark moves towards him and Sebastian hurriedly backs up wanting space between them. But Mark advances till his ass was pressed against the edge of the desk and there are barely inches between them as Mark hovers right in front him. He was panicking now, not because he was worried about Mark decking him, though that might actually be a possibility with the look on his face, but more because he could now feel the heat radiating from Mark’s body, smell his scent, and his cock wanted those few inches between them gone.

“You lied to me,” Mark growls, “You cost me a five thousand dollar job, one that is going to put me back months!”

It takes far too long for Sebastian’s brain to engage and cotton on to what Mark was referring to because Mark was still so close. The landscaping job for his father eventually pops in his head but it takes twice as long to work out why Mark wasn’t working with his father anymore and all he can do is say “Oh.” Mark wasn’t pissed at him at all about their kiss he was pissed because Mark obviously knew who had punched him. “Fucking Coulthard,” he says under his breath.

“You owe me that money, you either work it off or you pay me in cash, I don’t care. But until you give me five thousand dollars I _own_ your ass.”

*          *          *

“Mum?” Sebastian goes straight to his mother as soon as he gets home. He was furious and this had nothing to do with Mark. He’d gone to the bank to get money for Mark and end the shit between them only to find out his accounts had been frozen and he couldn’t access them, all thanks to his father. He finds his mother in the kitchen making dinner, a slightly unusual sight; where was Jorge their cook?

“Sebi, how was your day honey?” Marina asks smiling at her son.

“Where is Jorge? You don’t cook…”

Marina waves her hand. “Off today. I like to cook sometimes. You think Jorge cooks all the meals you get?”

Sebastian feels a bit stupid at that. Did his mother cook them food that often? “But you never used to cook…”

“I took cooking classes when you were in New York… I’m sure I told you that…”

Sebastian drops it then because he didn’t know if that was true or not. He never really cared what his parents told him, maybe he should. He shakes his head to change the subject, “Why are my bank accounts frozen?”

Marina stiffens. “Maybe you should have this discussion with your father…”

“I’m asking you,” he says determined not to lose it at his mother and he was not going to see his father. That was going to end in a screaming match.

“Sebi, we love you,” Marina says putting down the knife she was using to cut vegetables, “But since you’ve been back from New York… you’ve been so angry…”

“I didn’t want to come back!” Why could his parents not see that he didn’t want to be in this stupid town, was that so inconceivable?

Marina sighs. “I know, but you have responsibilities and your father needs you to work for the business…”

“Whatever,” Sebastian mutters not wanting to discuss that at all; he did not want to work with his father or step foot into that building. “I need five thousand dollars.”

Marina’s eyes widen. “Why?”

“I just owe someone some money…”

“Oh god,” his mother sags against the bench, “You’re father is right. You have a drug problem, or some gambling issue…”

“What!” Sebastian shouts he couldn’t believe they thought that. “I do not have a drug or gambling problem!”

“It would explain your behaviour, but I can get you into a good program…”

“Are you listening to me? I don’t have a drug or gambling problem! I just owe some money and someone froze my bank account!” Sebastian was in disbelief at his parents. “If I had a gambling problem I probably wouldn’t have any money to freeze!”

“Who do you owe money? Why do you owe them money?” His mother seemed far too calm, like he wouldn’t have an answer for her questions.

“I owe Mark money,” he snaps at her.

“The windscreen doesn’t cost that much,” his mother turns her back to him and goes back to chopping vegetables almost sadly like she’d proved some point.

“Not for the windscreen, I…” Sebastian stops unable to tell his mother why. If she knew he’d implied that his father had beaten him… maybe it was best for his parents to think he had a drug problem. “Fine. Whatever. I don’t need your stupid money anyway! I’ll just pay my dealer by selling my fucking body!”

“Sebastian!”

He doesn’t stop though at his mother’s shouting, instead he walks back out and goes straight to his car. His parents could go to hell for all he cared.

*          *          *


	6. Chapter 6

Mark was staring hard at Jenson and David. How long had Jenson been in love with his ex? And how the hell hadn’t he noticed before? Jenson was standing next to David, far too close really. The way David held Jenson’s full attention, the younger man captivated so completely, his smile something Mark wasn’t sure he had seen before. And there were the touches, light, fleeting almost unnoticed except added with everything… Mark was taken aback, not that he cared it was more, it was just an unexpected revelation. Jenson loved David. Ha.

“Mark?” David was waving a hand in front of his face to get his attention. They were at the pub having a few drinks after their respective days work. His mates had returned from ordering the second round. “You look lost in thought…”

“I am, just had a shiny revelation,” Mark says grabbing his drink and taking a large mouthful.

“Really?” Jenson raised an eyebrow interested. “The one that involves a snotty rich kid who you molested in the woods behind my house?”

Mark stares daggers at his friend. “No,” he answers coldly. “Just the one where I realise someone else I know has a huge fucking ass crush and they haven’t bothered mentioning it to me.”

Jenson freezes, the faintest tinge of pink on his cheeks. “Right, interesting,” he mutters.

David was looking confused. “What?”

“Nothing, Mark’s being a twat,” Jenson says wanting the subject changed as fast as possible and Mark continues to stare at him hard, but he relents and just shrugs at David.

It’s only when David disappears to catch up with someone else does Mark jump back on the topic. “Were you going to tell me?” he demands to Jenson.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Jenson snaps. “He’s still in love with you.”

Mark grips his beer tightly. “I wouldn’t have slept with him the other month you know if I’d known… I regret that enough as it is.”

“I don’t think you’re a threat Mark,” Jenson says honestly, “You and I both know that you and David aren’t going to wind up with the happy ending everyone thought was a sure thing a year ago. But David stills loves you and until he lets that go… I’m not going to risk being some rebound fling. I like our friendship and he’s my partner…”

“You should have told me,” Mark murmurs, “We’re friends.”

“He’s your ex, I didn’t want it to be awkward…”

“ _We’re_ _friends_ ,” Mark repeats again because that was meant to be more important than either of their love lives.

After a moment Jenson sighs, “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Give David some time,” Mark gives him a small smile. “Maybe he’ll stop being a wanker.”

Jenson grins then. “What does that make you then? DC wanting you back while you want some blonde twink…”

“I don’t want Sebastian,” Mark growls. “Why do you have to bring him up?”

Jenson rolls his eyes. “You don’t want him but you made out with him? You’re pissed at him for lying about a sensitive topic for you, doesn’t change the fact you want to fuck his sweet little ass.”

Mark gets to his feet. “I’ve had enough for tonight.” He throws some money on the table and turns to walk out. Of course Sebastian and his mates walk in just as he gets to the door. There’s one of those long awkward pauses where they both stop and stare at each other. Mark was pissed but Sebastian didn’t seem to be angry, he looked down if Mark was honest; it was what stopped Mark from making a snide comment. He shoves past him, instead walking towards his bike parked on the street.

“Mark?”

He pulls on his helmet and turns around to see Seb standing there. “Feels like déjà vu,” he comments, moving to start his bike. He wasn’t going to waste anymore time with this kid, he wanted his money and then he wanted Seb out of his life.

“I wanted to apologise…”

“Save it for someone who cares,” Mark snaps at him before he revs his bike loudly to drown out anything else that Sebastian wanted to say. He drives off then leaving Sebastian standing on the sidewalk looking upset, but he tells himself he doesn’t care, and he’ll keep saying it till it was damn well true.

*          *          *


	7. Chapter 7

“Sebastian!” Mark shouts after about twenty minutes of struggling to put the engine back together.

“Yeah?”

“Come here,” Mark orders, and sighing, Sebastian does. “Bolt the thing back together,” Mark tells him, handing Sebastian a wrench and screw driver. Sebastian gives him a blank look, “Here,” Mark says passing him the first bolt, “screw it here.” And Mark points to where it goes exactly, lining everything up so all Sebastian had to do was screw it in place.

After about ten minutes Sebastian had done them all, “Thanks,” Mark says. “You can call Mr. Whitmarsh and tell him he can pick up his car.”

“Sure,” Sebastian says passing the tools back to Mark. “You want a hand with the others?”

Mark hesitates but he had three cars that needed servicing and if he could do them himself he would but it was going to take too long with one hand. “Yeah…”

“I’ll call Martin and be right back,” Sebastian gives him a small smile before hurrying away.

Sebastian was enjoying himself. Lying next to Mark under a car as Mark showed him everything to check, Mark wedged against his side and passing him tools he would never remember the name of if it wasn’t a screwdriver or a wrench.

Sebastian shifts his head when oil suddenly starts dripping onto his face when his hand knocks something. “Ugh,” he groans his head bumping Mark’s as he tried to find more space. Everything apart from lying next to Mark was disgusting.

“Suck it up princess,” Mark tells him reaching up with his good hand to block the leak.

Sebastian looks to his left at Mark ready to let rip about his stupid nicknames but it dies in his throat when Mark’s eyes meet his. He drops the screw driver and slides his face closer to Mark’s in a silent invitation for Mark to kiss him, shivering at the thought, but immediately Mark slides out from next to him.

“Come on,” Mark says stiffly, “Leave the leak; we’ll check the radiator hoses first.”

Sebastian shimmies out trying to ignore the lump in his throat. They work through till lunch, and then when it’s time Mark doesn’t invite him up for frozen pizza, just tells him to go eat and he’ll see him in an hour. Hurt, he walks up the road to the diner to eat lunch alone.

*          *          *

Jenson was leaning in the doorway to Mark’s tiny shabby office. Mark was upstairs getting ready for their night out. They were making the effort to hit a proper city tonight and go out to some bars. With Mark drawing out the leaving since he was so bloody unenthusiastic, Jenson was taking the opportunity to glare at the back of Sebastian’s head.

The office, which hadn’t been in any order since Mark lost his last apprentice nearly a year ago, was starting to look something other than a dumping ground. All the paper had been neatly stacked, not filed but it gave the impression of order, hell there was a desk visible now. Sebastian was sitting on a dirty stool slumped over a shiny new laptop. Definitely not Mark’s; Mark rarely used the ancient box covered in dust that he liked to argue was a ‘computer’.

“Should you be playing games or working?”

Sebastian jumps at Jenson’s voice but when he recovers he just shoots Jenson a glance before looking at the screen. “I’m just trying to get Mark some software updates. That _thing_ with a keyboard is so slow I could learn to be a mechanic before anything downloaded on it.”

Jenson purses his lips thinking that might be the first time Sebastian hadn’t snapped or been snide with him. He makes an effort to drop his attitude because Sebastian looked tired and down, and it left him feeling uncomfortable that Sebastian wasn’t actually having a go at him. Moving into the office, Jenson’s foot moves to close the door. “Can I give you some advice?”

Sebastian had turned to look at him the moment the door clicked closed. “No.”

“Okay good.” Jenson says moving to lean down next to him ignoring his response. “No one here cares if you’re gay or straight…”

That has Sebastian suck in his breath and go stiff.

“But for fucks sake, Mark has had enough shit dumped on him during his life that he doesn’t need someone like you making things complicated. Just be honest with him and don’t lead him on and I won’t have to make your life miserable if you dare hurt him.” It really was a friendly tip, but Jenson can’t stop the edge in his tone that came with the warning. He meant every word of it, David smashing his taillights would be the least of his problems if he continued to fuck with Mark’s head.

Sebastian stares at him and Jenson can see his eyes light up with fury, but it’s just for a moment before it dies away. Instead, Sebastian turns back to his computer, slumped over and staring at the screen without so much as word. It leaves Jenson unsettled, because this wasn’t Sebastian, quiet and hard working.  Before he can stop himself he blurts out, “We’re going out. DC, Mark and me…”

“Whoopdeedoo,” Sebastian mutters under his breath.

“Do you want to come?” Mark was definitely going to be unhappy that he was offering invitations out to someone who Mark wishes wasn’t in his life. But Jenson knows Mark wasn’t pissed, just hurt, and none of that changed the fact that he cared about Seb.  And if it all backfired, well… he was going to bankrupt Sebastian with fines. Sebastian was staring at him with a suspicious gaze, so to tempt him, Jenson throws in a little white lie. “Mark asked me to see if you were interested…”

Jenson can’t stop the smirk that comes when Sebastian brightens at that. “Where are you going?”

“A few bars in the city.” No point in being specific and mentioning _gay_.

Sebastian though was checking him over, maybe he suspected anyway when he comments, “Leather pants?”

“DC likes them,” Jenson stands up to turn around showing off the black leather that sucked to every curve of his legs. “Do you like them?” Sebastian doesn’t give him a response but does stop staring to look back up at him. Jenson can’t resist adding, “Mark has a pair. I think he’s putting them on actually…” Jenson hadn’t finished the sentence before Sebastian’s laptop slammed shut and he was standing up.

“I’ll come,” he states. “I’ll just wash up.”

Jenson watches amused as Sebastian darts out of the office, brushing past Mark before he stops and stumbles to turn around to check out Mark’s pants. The look of disappointment that they were just jeans has Jenson snorting on his choked laughter as Sebastian goes bright red and giving him the finger.

“What was that about?” Mark asks confused looking between his jeans and Sebastian disappearing into the bathroom.

“No clue,” Jenson shrugs feigning innocence. “When are you going to forgive him by the way? Watching him mope like a puppy depresses even me.”

Clipping up the watch he slides onto his wrist Mark gives him a piercing look. “When are you going to man up and tell David you’ve been in love with him for years instead of dressing in your slut pants?”

“Slut pants?” Jenson looks down at them hurt before shrugging because they _did_ help him pick up when they went out. “Well I need some sex.”

Mark was rolling his eyes. “Can we go and pick up David?”

Jenson smirks. “Desperate yourself?”

“Not desperate enough to pour myself into a pair of those pants.”

“Let me know when you are, I’ll get you some.” Jenson winks.

“Okay. I’m ready.” Sebastian reappeared, fingers and face losing traces of grease and dirt. He looked brighter and more excited than he had in days.

“Ready for what?” Mark asks as Jenson exclaims, “Great!”

“I invited him,” Jenson explains which has Mark stare at him murderously while Sebastian stands there awkwardly and all embarrassed. “Come here Sebi,” Jenson beckons him over. “Don’t worry about Mark,” he insists dragging a reluctant Sebastian to his side. “It’s you and me tonight, and my pants.”

“He’s going nowhere near your fucking pants!” Mark snaps stomping out as Sebastian’s face practically glows red now.

“Don’t worry; I’ll look after you tonight.” Jenson guides him out of the garage. Sebastian though had lost all his eagerness. “Think of this as an opportunity to try and make amends for fucking up on gargantuan proportions.”

“For the record, I really don’t like you,” Sebastian snaps but he still follows both Jenson and Mark to Jenson’s car. And Jenson ensures to reserve the front seat for David, making him smile inwardly when Sebastian slips into the back with Mark. He really was looking forward to tonight.

*          *          *

Jenson’s pants. That’s all Mark can stare at it, it’s all any of them could stare at. If it was Jenson’s aim to get David’s attention that box was checked because Mark was pretty sure his ex hadn’t looked anywhere bar Jenson’s ass or crotch since he’d noticed the pants. He’d even caught Sebastian staring at them, looking at them lustfully. He’d wonder about what that said about Sebastian’s orientation later, right now he wanted Sebastian to stop staring at someone else’s ass.

Picking up his pace, Mark moves to grasp Sebastian’s elbow and pulls him in front of Jenson and David as they make their way towards the club. “You really doing this tonight?”

“Doing what?” Sebastian asks shaking off Mark’s grip and ensuring there was space between them.

“Going to a gay bar.” Mark says as Sebastian falters. Mark shoves him up the steps to keep him moving as Sebastian lets out a string of expletives all directed at Jenson. “See a woman Seb, chances are it’s not. Word of warning.”

And then they’re inside, music pulsing loudly as they head into a throng of moving bodies, seemingly all male and in all stages of undress. Mark doesn’t hide the grin when Sebastian latches onto the back of his jacket, shouting at him to slow down as they make a path to the bar.

Mark has one drink before he wrestles himself free from Sebastian. He planned to enjoy himself tonight, he wasn’t going to be Sebastian’s babysitter. He wanted to come, fine. But Mark wasn’t going to let that ruin his whole evening. He can’t help himself though, he watches Sebastian like a hawk no matter who he was with.

Jenson was off practically having sex with anything that moved on the dance floor, David was watching Jenson, or at least his pants, like nothing else mattered and Sebastian was at the bar drinking, _a lot_. Mark only moves towards him when some beefy guy makes a move on Seb. He wasn’t wearing anything but bright fluoro green briefs, body shiny with glitter and wearing armfuls of glowing bracelets. Sebastian looked slightly terrified. Before Mark can do anything, Sebastian was dragged to the dance floor, David shoving him off with a wave just as Mark reached them.

Mark delivers a punch to David’s ribs with his good hand. “Why did you do that? That guy is going to maul him!”

“What better way to see if he’s gay and enjoys it?” David shouts back at him.

Mark can only down drinks with David as he watches Sebastian passed from one guy to the next. Each time someone new takes his place as a dance partner, Mark becomes more and more worked up. Sebastian seemed to be losing his inhibitions, helped by the continuous drinks someone was passing him. When he can take it no longer, Sebastian moving lewdly against some guy like he was some kind of pro was too much. If Sebastian wanted to dance he could bloody dance with him.

Grabbing Sebastian’s arm he yanks him away from the other guy, an unbalanced Seb crashing into his chest. And when the look he gets in response from the man was like he was going to fight Mark back for something that wasn’t his to start with, Mark grips at Sebastian tightly who was draping himself over him. “Back off,” Mark warns angrily, pointing as he does. That guy even _thought_ about taking one step closer and Mark was going to deck him. He spins them around, suddenly focused on something other than his anger: Sebastian.

“Mark,” Sebastian breathes into his ear, body once more picking up the rhythm to the music, hips rolling against his in the most enticing fashion.  Mark can’t resist sliding a hand to his ass, pulling him closer, and letting himself enjoy the moment. When the pretence of dancing fades it’s just them holding each other and grinding. All Mark can feel was Sebastian’s hard cock pushing against his, both confined behind jeans.

“Uh…unh…ug…” Sebastian was panting in his ear, one leg lifting to wrap around Mark’s trying to get closer and very obviously trying to get off. Mark’s finger curl into the flesh of Sebastian ass, digging deeper, trying to aide both of them. If this continued much longer he was going to come right here, but lust was fogging his commonsense and hell, they wouldn’t be the only ones getting off on the dance floor.

“Mark…” Sebastian’s head drops back, lips parted as he pants. His hands buried in Mark’s hair as his eyes flutter open.

“Fuck,” Mark breathes out as he stares into Sebastian’s eyes. Well it was just pupils really. Sebastian was high as a kite. He pushes one hand to Sebastian’s throat to find his pulse. It was racing, and Mark can only curse more when he bats at Sebastian’s wandering hands. “What the hell did you take?” he shouts at Sebastian, furious that someone would be so _stupid_.

“Huh?” Sebastian looked confused.

“What did you take?” Mark repeats gripping his shoulders tightly after pushing the younger man away, who had still been rubbing up against him. “Drugs Sebastian! What did you take?”

“Nothing!” Sebastian denies. “I want to dance!”

“What you need is air and a bed, and maybe a fucking _doctor_ ,” Mark responds as he drags Sebastian to the exit and outside into the cool air. Finding a relatively quiet spot he lets Sebastian fall against the brick wall at the side of the club. “You feel okay?”

“I’m horny,” Sebastian answers sliding to sit on the ground. “And I didn’t take anything,” he repeats.

“You also shouldn’t accept drinks from strangers,” Mark snaps at him.

“I don’t like you very much,” Sebastian bites back angrily.

Mark drops down between Sebastian’s spread legs and pushes his hand against the other man’s still hard cock and rubs. Sebastian grips at him tightly, hips thrusting up into the touch. “Liar,” Mark states giving him a quick squeeze before removing himself from Seb’s clutches and standing up again.

“Don’t stop,” Sebastian pleads. “Touch me!”

How easy would it be to have his way with the confused kid now? High and horny, he could probably make Sebastian beg and scream without much effort. His own cock throbs at the thought so he steps back to put a bit more space between them. “You ask me that when you’re sober and Seb… I wouldn’t hesitate.”

Sebastian closes his eyes and slumps his head back to lean on the wall behind him. “I will if you wear Jenson’s pants. No bi-curious guy would resist.”

Mark doesn’t know which point to tackle first. “You want me to wear leather pants?” That amused him, he didn’t _own_ leather pants. But… he would never say never.

“Fuck yes,” Sebastian says eyes snapping open and staring straight at Mark’s crotch.

“Ask me when you’re sober,” Mark repeats once more.

“I will,” Sebastian says determinedly.

Mark doubted it but moves to sit next him. He doesn’t touch Sebastian, he wanted to give the guy a chance to cool off, not work him up when he had no intentions of following through. There was something wrong in taking advantage of someone in this state. “Is that what this is Seb?” Mark murmurs picking up on his other point. “Are you just curious?”

Sebastian turns his head to look at Mark, stares at him for the longest time. “I don’t know,” he finally answers. And when he lets his head drop to Mark’s shoulder, Mark doesn’t push him away, just touches the back of his head lightly. “Mark…I really am sorry for lying.”

“It’s okay,” Mark murmurs, fingers moving to massage Sebastian’s scalp, only to stop when Sebastian lets out a breathy moan at the action. “I’m sorry too.” And he was, for tonight, for being part of the reason Sebastian was confused and for giving him a hard time. 

“Mark?” Sebastian moves to snuggle against him on the sidewalk. “I want to go home.”

“Okay,” Mark agrees, because he was done with tonight as well. “I’ll get David and we can go.” No point bothering Jenson, he was the only that was definitely getting laid tonight.

“Mark?” Sebastian asks not bothering to lift his head to look at him. “I think David is in love with you, and Jenson’s pants.”

Mark lets out a snort. “Perceptive shit when you’re high aren’t you?”

“Mark?” Sebastian questions again. “When I left to go to New York three years ago… weren’t you and David together? I don’t really remember, but there was someone… my Dad was always raving on about how if the town had its first gay wedding ceremony he would up and leave if that ‘fag mechanic and fag cop’ married.”

Mark can’t help but bristle at that. John Vettel had always been polite to his face, never said a bad word to him. He wasn’t a fool though, there were plenty of prejudice people around even in their small town where he was nothing but polite and civil. Hell, he still worked on Cara Elliison’s car when she had made it quite clear she didn’t like him or ‘his lifestyle’. Age had taught him to let it go, not fight it, but experience said no one’s ill words hurt more than his own father’s.

“Seb,” Mark buries his hand into Sebastian’s hair. “Are you gay and just afraid to come out to your dad?”

“He wouldn’t hit me,” Sebastian blurts that out quickly, “I know he wouldn’t.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Mark sighs. Sebastian suddenly yawns and Mark decides that this conversation could wait till later. Instead he drags Seb to his feet deciding it was time to call it a night. Not that his night was over till Sebastian had been safely deposited with Jamie back in Glenwood and it was clear Sebastian wasn’t going to suffer any ill affects from whatever he’d been slipped. He didn’t even care that David had mocked him for constantly checking a passed out Sebastian’s vitals on the trip home, because Mark wasn’t sure what he’d do if something happened to Sebastian.

*          *          *


	8. Chapter 8

David, Jenson and Mark are eating lunch in the car park of Mark’s workshop. Jenson and David had brought lunch for Mark and Mark was enjoying something other than frozen pizza to eat. “Do you need a hand?” Jenson asks watching Mark.

“Will you give me one if I say yes?” Mark asks as he tries to screw into place the new tail lights that had arrived for Sebastian’s Hummer.

“No,” David answers for both of them.

Mark looks up at both and shakes his head. “You shouldn’t have smashed them,” he mutters.

“He deserved it,” David states, sipping at his coffee.

“Maybe,” Mark sighs as he finally finishes the first one and moves to start the next one.

“Forgiven him?” Jenson asks curiously.

“Yes,” Mark answers and it was really a simple answer. He was no longer paying out on Sebastian; rather he was now busy worrying about how to approach talking to Sebastian about things that happened last weekend. Both of them seemed to be fine pretending nothing had happened, and he wasn’t a 100% sure Sebastian remembered everything anyway.

“You know Mark,” Jenson says, “You kind of suck at the whole dating thing,” he offers helpfully. “You could have totally shagged him, shown him all the joys of gay sex…” That part has David rolling his eyes, “But nope. You want to be the honourable guy.”

“And you are doing so well with wooing the guy your head over heels for,” Mark snaps back at him, resulting in Jenson looking alarmed. “How many men did you sleep with last weekend that wasn’t the one that you wanted?”

“Who are you in love with?” David demands and Jenson just goes bright red.

“No one,” Jenson responds shooting death glares at Mark.

“What are you doing?” Sebastian was returning from lunch interrupting what was sure to be David’s continued questioning of Jenson. Mark ignores the glare Sebastian gives David, and had been doing since they had all gone out. Mark refused to entertain the thought it was jealousy on Sebastian’s behalf.

“Putting in your new tail lights,” Mark answers struggling to keep the light in place with his plastered hand.

Sebastian reaches out to hold it for him, “Thanks,” he mumbles appreciatively, and when he smiles at Mark, it’s returned. It has Sebastian’s insides warming up, smile widening as Mark’s does the same. And that’s their moment, just smiling at each other silly as Mark screwed in place the lights without looking away and breaking eye contact.

“Oh god,” David mutters getting to his feet. “This is worse than a chick flick.”

“I think it’s kind of romantic,” Jenson sighs, moving onto his donut as he stares at Mark and Sebastian who were both ignoring them. “The mechanic from the wrong side of the tracks falls for the rich little boy that returns to town all grown up but who has yet to realise he’s gay…OW!” Jenson yelps when the screw driver hits him in the centre of his forehead.

“Shut your mouth,” Mark barks at him as Sebastian disappeared into the workshop quickly. “This isn’t something you get to joke about, or mock. I swear to god I will hurt you if you start blabbing about this to _anyone_.”

Jenson’s shock at being pulled up turns to one of being offended. “I wouldn’t out anyone Mark. I’ve been there too remember.”

“Jenson!” David was standing by their patrol car. “Get our donuts, we’re going.”

Mark grasps Jenson’s arm tightly. “Stop making this a joke. It isn’t a joke, so lay off.”

“Stop dancing around this and just find out one way or the other,” Jenson dares him before grabbing the donuts and walking away he shouts, “He’s gay or he’s not! It’s not a hard thing to figure out Mark!”

Mark returns to the garage, dumping his tools on the bench and heading into the office where Sebastian was sitting behind his laptop. “Hey,” he knocks gently to get his attention. When Sebastian looks up, his face was drained of any colour. “No one is going to say anything,” he murmurs hoping to reassure him.

“There’s nothing to say,” Sebastian mutters. “Go away, I’m working.”

Mark purses his lips, and tries to bite back that if he was working he’d do the bloody filing which was building up, even if it was in neat piles. “Mate, if you want to talk about anything…” He lays a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder and squeezes, “I have been there.”

“Don’t make out that we’re the same,” Sebastian bites out, anger suddenly flashing into his eyes. “ _I_ have money.”

Mark sucks in his breath at that. “Pissing me off won’t change anything,” he snaps. “But if you want me to shut up and ignore you, mission accomplished.” Spinning on his heel he slams the door to the office and heads back to the car he had been working on this morning in the hopes of solving the irritating rattle coming from the engine.

He stops when Sebastian appears, looming next to him. Mark was surprised when it wasn’t an apology that left Sebastian’s lips but the question of, “What are you doing on Sunday?”

*  *  *


	9. Chapter 9

His parents had gone out of town, and Sebastian was using the opportunity to have a party. He didn’t particularly want a party, all these people trampling through his house and he would need to pretend he was happy - but it felt like a good way to get Mark to come around and visit him without actually asking to spend time alone with him. The only time Sebastian saw him was at the garage and no matter how hard he tried, Sebastian couldn’t help but enjoy Mark’s company. He wanted more despite what it all might mean.

They ate lunch everyday together, and it was Sebastian’s favourite part of the day. Mark was exceptionally good company and he went out of his way to make Sebastian feel comfortable or make him laugh or smile. And there were moments when they had tiffs, but it seemed to blow over like nothing had happened, seemingly arguments about Sebastian’s lack of work fixed with a smile or a longing look. Sebastian Vettel was completely hooked on Mark Webber.

He knew it and he had a feeling Mark did as well, and he had no idea how to begin to undo it all – but the scariest bit was that there was a part of him that didn’t want to undo anything. But he tried his hardest to not think about any of those things, it was only on sleepless nights did worry and fear creep in, at any other point of time he was sure he was in control of everything – he and Mark were _friends_.

Nico and Jaime were next to him arguing about women when he spies Mark arrive. Sebastian brightens; he was starting to think that Mark might not turn up. Sebastian wasn’t just happy, he was relieved. He doesn’t excuse himself; he just heads straight for Mark who was looking around awkwardly, smiling though when he sees Seb.

“Am I the only person you invited above the age of fifteen?” Mark asks shoving his fingers into the pockets of his jeans.

“Well you’re my boss…” he shrugs it off but Mark purses his lips not looking impressed with that response.

“You have no obligations to me Sebastian…”

Sebastian grabs Mark’s arm. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” He panics not wanting Mark to leave. “Stay, I want you to stay.” After a moment, Mark nods and Sebastian grins. “I’ll get you a drink.”

When he returns, Mark wasn’t there anymore and he whirls around upset that Mark might have left. There were hoards of people lingering around the pool, and he pushes through them trying to swallow the lump in his throat. And then he sees Mark walking down the back steps slowly making his way further from everyone and towards the newly cleared section of their property.

He jogs down the steps going after Mark not caring about anyone else at the party. Mark was kicking at a fallen tree when Sebastian catches up to him. “Here,” he thrusts the beer at Mark having selected Mark’s favourite brand. He had stocked it today just for him.

“Thanks mate,” Mark smiles taking it and Sebastian feels his stomach do a slow flip. Mark opens the can, taking a long sip before reaching out and touching the beanie on Sebastian’s head. “You have a crush on these things or something?”

“What’s wrong with them?” Sebastian asks reaching up to readjust his beanie, his fingers brushing Mark’s in the process. Mark captures his hand and pulls him closer.

“Nothing,” Mark says stroking his fingers slowly, “You look cute.”

Sebastian’s cheeks heat up then and Mark just smiles, both falling silent as Mark drinks his beer and continues to play with Sebastian’s fingers.

Sebastian notices that his cast is off. “Your hand better?”

“Hey Sebastian!” Someone screams his name from up the top near the pool.

Sebastian jumps, ripping his hand from Mark and shielding his eyes as he looks upward.

“We need more beer!”

Sebastian turns to look at Mark who had wandered further away. “I’ll be back. Don’t leave,” he pleads. He rushes back to the house turning around to see Mark wave him along. When he goes to run back, after sorting out the issue, he sees Mark had come back up and was chatting to a couple of women.

They were practically hanging off him, one constantly touching his arm, the other making flirty little laughs. They weren’t from Glenwood, if they were they’d know Mark was _gay_. Jealousy surges through him, and he can’t do anything to suppress it. He wants to shout and throw a tantrum but he just stands there silently seething till Mark notices him and then he spins on his heel and storms inside.

“Hey,” Mark catches his elbow moments later, “What’s wrong?”

“I thought that you were gay?” he speaks as loud as he dared.

“I am,” Mark looks confused before he smirks in understanding. “I’m gay Sebastian but that doesn’t mean I don’t talk to women. And anyone would think you’re jealous…”

“I’m not!”

“If you just wanted all my attention for yourself Sebi,” Mark says in a low voice, “Then maybe you shouldn’t have invited all these people…”

Sebastian sucks in his breath, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment.

Mark’s eyes shift to the stairs that led upstairs, “How about a tour?” And without an answer he starts making his way up, putting his beer down as he goes.

Sebastian stares outside at the party before walking after him quickly, Mark looking over his shoulder and grinning when he sees Sebastian follow him.

“Which is your room?” Mark peeks through the open doors. “You think of moving out?” he asks curiously.

“It’s not so bad at home,” Sebastian answers shrugging as he opens his bedroom door. “Plus, I don’t want to settle down here. I want to go back to New York.” He watches Mark look around his room feeling apprehensive all of a sudden.

“Your room is bigger than my apartment,” Mark comments walking over to the desk and fingering a picture of Sebastian and Simone. It was years old.

Sebastian pushes the door closed with a much louder bang than he intended and Mark looks up at him, watching as Sebastian reaches over and locks the door. Sebastian’s heart was pounding in his chest now and he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next but his stomach was fluttering non-stop.

“Come here,” Mark says quietly and with shaky legs Sebastian walks towards him stopping near the desk. Mark was still touching the picture of him and Simone and Sebastian reaches out and puts it face down before covering Mark’s hand.

“Seb,” Mark now sounds hesitant, hazel eyes staring uncertainly at the younger man in front of him. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

Sebastian swallows, feeling nervous because he had no idea what he was doing. Only that for the last few weeks he had spent with Mark, was enough for the other man to get under his skin, and when he failed at keeping Mark out of his thoughts, he could think of nothing but their kisses in the woods or dancing with him and all the looks they had shared since which seem to be getting more heated.

He rests his other hand on Mark’s chest, stroking it through his shirt, feeling muscles twitch under his fingers. Stepping closer, he moves his hand lower, following lines of muscles, now exploring Mark’s stomach and trying to recall every moment he had seen Mark near naked.

Mark’s breathing heavier after a few minutes of Sebastian’s tentative exploring, and it was taking sheer will not to grab Sebastian and throw him down onto the bed a few feet away and show the kid exactly what this was all about. But he doesn’t, and Mark continues to stand perfectly still, letting Sebastian pet and stroke him until his skin was on fire and he was achingly hard. A choked noise leaves him when Sebastian’s hand snakes under his shirt, a thumb rubbing the line of hair under his navel that disappeared into his jeans. “Seb…” the name leaves him in a low growl. It was a warning because there would be a point where he wouldn’t be able to stop.

Feeling and watching someone like Mark Webber come apart so easily was the biggest turn on, that and the fact that Sebastian thinks Mark is gorgeous. Biting his lip he stares at the huge bulge in Mark’s pants and his hand is drawn to it, his fingers running over it before he cups Mark.

“Shit,” Mark curses gripping Sebastian’s hand tightly that was still in his as he thrust at Sebastian’s other hand that was exploring him. “You trying to seduce me Seb?” he rasps out and Sebastian looks up at him, eyes burning lustfully at him.

Sebastian begins to palm Mark’s erection lightly watching as the other man begins to breathe harder still, low moans leaving him. “Do you think about me?” Sebastian whispers.

“Yes,” Mark grunts out.

Sebastian moves closer increasing the pressure. “Do you think about me touching you like this?” The question is practically panted out and he can feel Mark trembling now.

“Yes,” he gasps and that response has Sebastian shift his hands to the front of Mark’s pants, pulling at the button and zip. Mark struggles to keep his eyes open when Sebastian’s pushes a hand inside, gripping his cock tightly as he starts up a quick rhythm that has orgasm begin to rush at him. Everything about this was so excruciatingly hot. Sebastian’s hand rubs harder, slightly faster, squeezing his cock and creating blissful friction.

Sebastian wants to see Mark come, wants to know what he looks like, what noises he makes. “Are you close?” he asks before biting his lip to stop his own moan when Mark grabs his shoulder and squeezes. His fingers tighten around the heated flesh, twisting his stroke and trying to remember everything about this moment and how much he fucking wanted the other man who he right now controlled.

“Fuck,” Mark curses feeling the tingling in his balls. “Oh shit…” His knees buckle and he grips Sebastian hard as pleasure overwhelms him and he cries out sharply, thrusting into Sebastian’s hand as his cock explodes in his pants, before he comes apart and flies over the edge and into bliss. He jerks as Sebastian grips him even harder when he does.

Sebastian by this point is on the verge of coming himself and no one had touched him. He was pretty sure that if someone breathed on him he’d come he was so hard. And when Mark opens his eyes, somewhat recovered, Sebastian looks at him wantonly biting his lip furiously and shaking with need. Mark’s thumb falls to his lips freeing it from his teeth.

“You’re not quite that innocent Sebi,” Mark whispers a smile tugging at his lips.

“Please,” Sebastian begs against the pad of his thumb, not caring that he was begging.

Mark grabs his hips and turns him, setting him against the desk before cupping his face. “You are so beautiful Sebastian,” Mark whispers, his mouth moving towards Sebastian’s. Eagerly Sebastian lifts towards him and then moans loudly when their lips touch, his parting immediately, tongue darting out and seeking Mark’s.

They kiss heatedly, Sebastian lifting his hips towards Mark needing some sort of friction, and when Mark steps closer, he parts his legs as wide as he can. The moment Mark presses a thigh to his aching erection, it’s more than enough. It doesn’t take make much then, Mark providing something hard for Sebastian to grind and roll his hips against. His cries are muffled in their kisses as he jerks against Mark minutes later, coming hard, vision blurring as he does. He was panting when Mark pulled away, his head still fuzzy and fighting his post orgasmic haze.

“Sebastian!”

Both he and Mark turn their heads towards the locked door. That was his father’s voice. He scrambles to his feet, suddenly snapping back to reality. “Fuck,” he curses and he dives to unlock the door before his father could reach it not wanting to explain why it was locked in the first place. He throws it open to see his father on the other side fuming.

“Why is my house the location for a party?” he shouts.

“You’re not meant to be back till tomorrow,” Sebastian states hoping his panic, which had nothing to do with being busted about the party, wasn’t obvious. “I would have cleaned it up.” He stands behind the door awkwardly to hide the front of his pants; Mark was conveniently standing behind the back of his desk chair looking far more collected than he felt.

John Vettel looks like he is about to go off once more, but he stops when he realises that his son isn’t alone. “Mark,” he says coldly.

“John,” Mark forces a smile. “Sebastian was just showing me around.”

Sebastian stares at his father to see if he believes that, and he must because he spins on his heel and storms off. Sebastian was shaking when Mark moves to stand next to him, his hand touching his back lightly. “You should go,” Sebastian whispers and without another word Mark walks out and hurries down the stairs. Sebastian lets his head drop against the door he was clinging to the door, wondering what the hell he was doing. He wanted to blame Mark for what happened, but he knows it was all him, he had initiated everything, right from inviting him here in the first place.

*          *          *

Mark eats lunch alone because Sebastian had declined to join him. He wasn’t surprised; Sebastian had barely said two words since he showed up this morning. He wanted to talk to him, discuss what was happening because he knew that Sebastian was confused and Mark wanted to help him sort out of his feelings. But Sebastian was avoiding him like he had the plague; it felt like kissing in the woods on replay.

When he finishes lunch he sees Sebastian sitting on the hood of his car eating a sandwich and staring blankly ahead. Mark hesitates before walking towards him, “Hey,” he flashes Seb a smile one that isn’t returned. “If you want to talk…”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Sebastian snaps at him. “Just forget it happened.”

“Okay,” Mark nods. “Want to help me with the red Corolla this afternoon?” He wanted things back to being normal.

“Your arm is better,” Sebastian states coldly. “You don’t need my help. I’m going to do the filing.”

Mark watches him jump off the car, not sure why Sebastian had bothered turning up this morning if he didn’t want to be around him. Shaking his head he walks back into the garage to work. Whenever he does look up though, he can see Sebastian’s eyes on him, and he can feel them when he works. It makes his job nearly impossible, and it takes far longer than it should to do what was a simple oil change.

Unable to bear it anymore he decides he has had enough for one day and walks to the office where Sebastian was sitting in the chair watching him. “I’m closing for the day,” Mark tells him bluntly. “You can go piss off with your mates if you like.”

“But it’s only 2pm,” Sebastian blinks. “You have three other cars waiting.”

“They can continue to wait,” Mark answers.

“No they can’t,” Sebastian argues. “The owner of the Corolla is coming tomorrow…”

“I said it was fine,” Mark tells him, frustrated.

“I’m the one that books in the cars Mark! You won’t have time tomorrow,” Sebastian says, getting to his feet.

“And I’m the boss and run this place, so I get the last word. _Go home_.” He turns then and heads up his apartment to have a shower, listening to Sebastian take off, revving his engine angrily before he does.

*          *          *

“I want to go back to New York,” Sebastian tells his parents for the millionth time at dinner. He hadn’t asked in weeks, but he was asking again, because this was now his solution to his Mark problem. Being far away from Mark would eliminate temptation and he couldn’t spend hours sitting on a chair watching him.

“No,” his father states without an explanation.

Sebastian looks at his mother, but Marina just shakes her head at him.

“Why? You can’t keep me here,” Sebastian snaps frustrated.

“That’s right,” his father nods. “You are free to go right now, but you don’t take any of my money with you.”

Sebastian grips his fork tightly. “I hate this place,” he hisses. “And you hate me because you keep me here!”

“That’s not true Sebi,” his mother says pained. “You just need more time to adjust.”

Time to adjust? That was the problem, he didn’t want to adjust, adjusting would have to somehow factor in Mark, and he was struggling to work out why he couldn’t stay away from him. “Whatever,” he mutters, getting to his feet. “I’m going to see Jaime.” He stalks out hating his life once more.

*          *          *

Mark was sitting in his office trying to sort through the piles of paper that Sebastian hadn’t began sorting. It was late and he was struggling to see with the little light that was available in the cramped office. The sound of a car drawing up out the front of the garage makes him look up and his heart lurches when he sees that it’s Sebastian. He has to tell himself to calm down, Sebastian showing up unannounced didn’t mean anything, he shouldn’t think otherwise.

He gets up though to let Sebastian in through the side door. Sebastian was standing there wearing a hoodie jumper, hands buried in front pockets and mostly looking like he didn’t want to be recognised.  He probably shouldn’t park the town’s only Hummer right smack bam in front of his shop then. “Seb,” Mark greets with a tight smile.

“Hey…” Sebastian looks nervous more than anything.

“Did you forget something today?” It was best to start with the most logical conclusion.

Sebastian shakes his head. “No… I…” he trails off and looks pained. “I thought maybe we could… hang out?”

Mark just stares at him watching as he gets flustered at the lack of an immediate response, there’s something about a pink-cheeked Sebastian that is endearing. “Want to go to the pub and get a beer?”

“No,” Sebastian’s response verges on vicious. “Maybe we could just drink here? Watch a movie…”

“Talk?” Mark offers because that was what he wanted more than anything. He understood that Sebastian was confused about things and he wanted to help him out, plus set some boundaries in this relationship. Mark had no idea what they were…

Sebastian shrugs at that before sighing, “Okay.”

Mark steps aside and Sebastian steps into the workshop. Mark re-locks up and without another word they both troop upstairs to Mark’s apartment. Grabbing them both a beer, Mark passes one to Sebastian who had already sat down and made himself comfortable. Mark doesn’t sit though, instead stands there watching him in silence, trying to work out exactly where to start, but surprisingly it’s Sebastian who speaks first.

“I want to be friends,” he says twisting his untouched beer in his hands. “Nothing else.”

Mark’s heart sinks but he refuses to let his disappointment show. “Okay, I can do that. Can you?” He hadn’t posed the question to be complicated but Sebastian stares at him mouth opening and closing as he struggles to answer what should be a simple response of yes or no.

Sighing Mark moves to sit next to him. “Listen Seb, I’m fine with being friends, probably the best thing really. But you need to stop with all the staring, locking me in your bedroom…” Mark takes a large gulp of his drink as a shiver of arousal runs through him, “Because you’re driving me fucking crazy.”

Sebastian just nods, looking upset more than anything.

“Hey,” Mark lays a hand on his back gently. “We haven’t done anything to be ashamed of. And the little fooling around we’ve done doesn’t necessarily make you gay….”

Sebastian cuts him off by blurting out, “I can’t stop this, thinking of you. I’m trying so hard but I can’t and I really need it to all stop. Please?”

Mark stares into Sebastian’s blue eyes that silently beg him to make it stop. “Seb if you need space…”

“Don’t fire me,” he whispers.

“I’m not going to fire you,” Mark murmurs and he pulls Sebastian into a hug. “We’re friends; you let me know if you want more, but friends first. But if you need space from me, that’s fine.”

Sebastian doesn’t answer just buries his face into Mark’s neck, breathing in his scent and nuzzling him. Mark doesn’t stop him, just strokes his hair enjoying holding him. Things didn’t feel any clearer but it felt so good to just hold him. “Hmmm?” Sebastian was mumbling against his shoulder, his words indecipherable.

“Can I stay here tonight?” Sebastian lifts his head to look at Mark, exhaustion clear on his face. Mark wanted to send him on his way, thought that would be best to resist temptation but he nods. Sebastian looks relieved and then stands up to pull off his jumper and then socks and shoes.

Mark watches him. His eyes follow Sebastian as he moves to lie down on Mark’s bed and crawls under the blankets without asking. Mark considers sleeping on the couch. That would be the best option but he soon finds himself wandering to the bed and getting in.

He and Sebastian position themselves so they’re lying on their stomaches, faces turned to the other while Mark runs his fingers up Sebastian’s back lightly and then down again, following the length of his spine. There’s silence for the most part, but it’s comfortable and Mark slowly watches as Sebastian drifts off to sleep, eyelids growing heavier.

“When did you know?” Sebastian mumbles, now fighting sleep to ask his question.

“Know what?” Mark replies quietly.

“That you liked guys…”

“I don’t know… I think I always knew but I accepted it when I was about fourteen or so.”

“What did your parents think?” Sebastian continues clutching his pillow tighter.

“My mum had already passed away, but my Dad… I didn’t bother telling him until I was seventeen. He hit me, I hit him back. Things weren’t great between us, but he came around at the end… didn’t have a choice when I got into a serious relationship,” Mark shares, his hands still roving over Sebastian’s back, now pressing firmly and trying to ease the tense muscles beneath his fingers.

“I don’t want to be gay… I want to be normal,” Sebastian whispers, his eyes sliding closed. “I can be normal right Mark?”

Mark pulls his hand back staring at the now sleeping body next to him. He felt hurt at Sebastian insinuation that he wasn’t normal. But he had a feeling Sebastian’s beliefs and ideas had been ingrained in him since he was young and it would make things harder to accept.

He sits up then, and gets back out of the bed. He carefully tucks Sebastian in, arranging the blankets around him securely before grabbing himself a pillow and going back to the couch. He lies down tossing a blanket roughly over him as he stares at the ceiling above him, Sebastian running through his mind. It would be easier if he could just stop thinking about him, just stop it all, just like Seb had asked him for. He just wasn’t sure that was possible.

*          *          *


	10. Chapter 10

When Sebastian wakes up, he has no clue where he is, and it’s only the scent of Mark on the sheets that triggers his memory. He smiles sleepily, arm snaking across the bed to search for the other man only to find cold sheets. His eyes snap open, blinking to clear his blurry vision before mumbling, “Mark?”

Receiving no reply, Sebastian drags himself out of bed and stumbles through Mark’s small apartment. He swallows when he sees Mark sprawled out on the tiny couch looking mightily uncomfortable. His hair was a mess and there was the smallest bit of drool on his face but it does nothing to stop Sebastian’s heart lurching in his chest, along with his cock.

“Fuck,” he curses and hurries to get dressed, intent on simply leaving. He berates himself as he puts on his shoes; he was meant to go and see Jaime, he was meant to be staying away from Mark, he was meant to be trying to get out of this mess. Before he even realises it, he’s sobbing quietly and feeling defeated, he sinks to the floor at the end of Mark’s bed, holding his shoe limply as he cries. And after a while, frustrated he hurls the shoe as hard as he can across the cupboard size bedroom with enough force that the wall is left with an imprint the shape of his shoe where it made impact.

What if he was gay? What would Nico and Jaime say? What would his _father_ say? The last question has him dig his fingers hard into the palm of his hand, the pain an attempt to stem a full blown breakdown rather than just his pathetic crying at the moment, because he knows his father would lose it, and his mother would be so _disappointed_. And he couldn’t disappoint his mum because she did everything for him.

It takes him a long moment to realise he was being pulled into someone’s lap and he doesn’t fight off Mark, just sags against his chest when Mark’s arm hugs him tightly, rocking him gently. Mark murmurs to him telling him everything will work out and that it wasn’t the end of the world while promising him that he wasn’t alone.

Eventually his crying had stopped and he just felt tired and embarrassed, not that Mark had said anything to embarrass him. But he wasn’t some kid that blubbered over stupid shit. Sniffling he rubs his face on Mark’s shirt, smearing it with tears before he only looks up when he feels Mark press a kiss to the top of his head.

“Feel better?” Mark asks gently smiling at him softly.

“No,” Sebastian states. Nothing would feel right again, he knew that.

“You should go take a shower and I’ll make you some breakfast, things won’t seem so bad then…”

Sebastian thinks that’s a load of bull but he doesn’t argue. Stumbling to his feet he goes to shower, hating it because Mark’s place was small and shit and he runs out of hot water far too quickly. He stomps out grumpily, “You place is a fucking dump.” It’s the first time he’d ever commented on Mark’s dwellings, but he was in a foul mood and he couldn’t pretend right now that there was one thing great about this place. “Why can’t you live in a nice house?”

There’s a flicker of hurt in Mark’s eyes as he places breakfast in front of Sebastian. “Eat up,” is the only response Mark makes.

Sebastian stares down at the sausage and scrambled eggs. He feels sick and not at all like eating, the thought of it makes his stomach lurch sickeningly. He looks up at Mark to see the other man shovelling food into his mouth, only stopping when he realises he was being watched.

“Something wrong with the food?”

“I’m not hungry,” Sebastian states, prodding his sausage with a fork.

“I promise it tastes better than it looks,” Mark attempts to encourage him.

The door opens to Mark’s apartment and David appears startling both of them, “Mark!” David comes to a dead stop staring in surprise at Sebastian’s presence. “You spend the night here? Or have your lunch dates extended to breakfast now?” It was said well naturedly but Sebastian’s face pales.

If people knew he spent the night here, it would spread like wildfire. Panic rushes through him, and Sebastian jumps to his feet. “I did not!” he denies furiously. “Stay out of my life!”

“Seb,” Mark tries to calm him down, but Sebastian was pulling on his jacket. “Don’t go,” he pleads but Sebastian wasn’t hearing any of it.

He shoves passed a surprised David and races down the narrow stairs to the workshop before fleeing. He’d reached his car door when Mark catches up with him, slamming against it with his body to close it and cut off his exit.

“Don’t fucking run off,” Mark snaps at him.

“Move!” Sebastian shouts at him.

“No,” Mark answers irritated. “I get you’re scared but you need to stop running away from this. Hell, David was joking, he doesn’t give two tosses about why you’re here.”

“How did he even get in?” Sebastian still angry continues to shout. “You give everyone a set of keys?”

“David has a set, but he usually knocks…” Mark touches Sebastian’s hand only for the younger to rip away from him.

“Stop touching me!”

Mark steps back. “Clearly you do need some space, sorry for getting in the way.”

Sebastian wants to burst into tears when Mark turns his back on him and stalks back inside. He hated himself for acting like this, but he had no idea how to stop himself, even now plagued with guilt and a want to apologise to Mark, he still gets in his car and drives off.

*          *          *

Sebastian really does not care to hear any of Nico’s protests as he stands waiting next to the side of his car with Jaime. It was apparently inappropriate for Nico to cut work, but far more inappropriate to go and get trashed at nine in the morning. But neither of his friends seems to understand he needed to get away from here. He was going to go crazy, even now waiting outside of Nico’s home he was fiddling with the sleeve of his jacket, feeling anxious and like he might explode apart. He needed out, needed to escape, from Mark, from himself, hell this whole stupid fucking town. And if he physically couldn’t get out of Glenwood… then he would take the next best option – getting smashed.

Sebastian straightens up when Nico finally appears and when he sees Nico smirk, Sebastian whirls around to find Jaime making a crazy symbol next to his head. “Shut the fuck up Jaime!” Sebastian shouts at him. “Get in the fucking car!” Screaming at his friends wasn’t helping but he was angry that neither of them _got it_. Not that he could tell them but they were meant to be his friends and the least they could do was get drunk with him and be serious for one fucking moment.

“You have another fight with your dad?” Nico asks as they slide into the car. Sebastian glares at him, not answering, instead revving his car furiously and burning his tyres on Nico’s drive before backing out wildly. “Sebastian! We don’t have death wishes!” Nico was gripping the door handle tightly looking a little alarmed.

Sebastian purses his lips and forces himself to slow back down to the limit. It would be just his luck that Jenson was lurking around ready to fine him. He drives them just outside of town to a small park on the main highway that was used as a rest stop. And then he drinks, ignoring every question either of his friends asks because he didn’t want to talk. Plus what was he going to say, “Hey, by the way, I think I’m gay?”

At least when they get back into the car, with all the alcohol consumed and all three of them starving, there were no protests about his driving. Jaime seems incapable of doing anything but giggle as Sebastian speeds back to town while Nico moaned that he was going to throw up if Sebastian didn’t slow down. Smirking at his pale friend Sebastian rips the handbrake up, throwing the car around in an attempt at a 360 abruptly on the highway.

They skid wildly across and then run off the road, Nico and Jaime slamming into the doors as Sebastian tries to keep the car out of the trees. When they come to a stop facing the trees on the embankment there is the longest silence. Jaime then begins to giggle madly.

“Fuck Seb, you’re _not_ a professional driver!” Nico wails scrambling to open the door where he promptly throws up.

Sebastian smirks at him and waits for Nico to sit back, giggling. “They do say practice makes perfect.” Nico looks too green to argue with him.

He speeds into town, skidding dangerously as he turns onto the town’s main road to get to the diner. He feels like eating a burger and a pie… He brakes late as he squeals to a stop outside the diner, the force of their abrupt stop sending Nico sprawling across the dash. The sound of metal hitting metal screeches against the driver’s side of the car when Sebastian swerves a tad too close to a parked car.

“Fuck,” Nico whispers now that they were finally at a stop. Nico’s face was even paler as Sebastian grips the wheel tightly, heart racing at a mile an hour. He turns to check on Jaime only to find his other friend snoring on the backseat and completely unaware of their run-in.

Sebastian puts the car into reverse and backs up, more sounds of metal wailing as he does. He can’t open his door though after he’s dislodged the two cars so he fumbles with putting the window down before leaning out to see the side of his car. “Aw fuck,” he groans before crying out when he nearly tumbles out face first into the road. Nico grabbing at him as he flails the only thing that stops him from face planting. Giggling once more he sits back down. “So much for lunch.”

“What do you mean?” Nico asks watching alarmed as Sebastian just pulls away. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to be charged for drink driving,” Sebastian snaps as he throws a sloppy u-turn.

“Sebastian!” Nico shouts at him, sobering up. “You just hit a car! Bruno Senna’s car! You cannot drive off!”

“I just did,” Sebastian yells back. “Shut up! It’s not you that hit the fucking car! I have to explain this to my father!”

“You’re a fucking idiot!” Nico seethes. “The whole diner saw it was you! There’s only one person in town that owns a fucking Hummer!”

Sebastian slams the brakes hard. “Get out!” He orders at his friend pointing to the side of the road.

“What is wrong with you!?” Nico though was opening the door, falling on his ass but looking relieved to be free from the car. He kicks the door closed with his foot and the moment it slammed shut, Sebastian floors it, heading home. He needed to sober up. Looking in the rear view mirror he winces having forgotten about Jaime. His friend could sleep there for the moment. He needed a shower, food and a lot of water. His heart was racing, his head was clearing from the alcohol a little but there was still no thoughts of his Mark dramas, now there was simple panic.

*          *          *

Jenson cannot believe this. He was practically bouncing around because this was the closest thing Glenwood has ever had to felon and it was _Sebastian_. Sebastian who drives dangerously, drunk, damages others’ property, and ends up doing a runner. David would argue ‘runner’ was pushing it since he’d only gone home where Jenson and David had gone to show up and arrest him. It was the first time he could read someone their rights and it was _Sebastian_.

“Can you just…” David was there with his hands motioning for him to calm down, “I swear I can’t think with your inner squealing.”

Jenson had his face just about pressed up against the interview glass. “When we interview him, I want to do the good cop, bad cop routine.” Sebastian was in the room, handcuffed, speaking with his lawyer and his father. His father though was going off so loudly they’d muted the audio from the room in fear they’d go deaf.

David sighs and folds his arm. “Let me guess, you’re the bad cop?”

“Of course. I’m going to get really violent so just come and be the comforting one so he opens up and confesses and we sentence him to life…”

David shakes his head. “Jenson, you don’t get to be judge, jury and executioner.”

Now Jenson sighs looking upset at that truth. “I know. How unfair is that?”

David smiles though and squeezes his arm. “Please tell me you are not so delusional right now that you’re not aware that before the night is out that Sebastian will walk free?”

Jenson seethes at that, eyes flashing angrily. “Like hell he will! He committed a crime!”

“And he has an expensive lawyer and a father that will buy off the police force to cut a deal. Just remember that when you go in all guns blazing,” David suggests.

“Saddest thing you just said was the ‘guns blazing’ – I can’t actually do that. Guns don’t blaze.”

David just shakes his head. “I don’t think anyone likes being a cop as much as you do.” Walking to the door of the interview observation room, he waves his partner ahead of him, “Come on. Go do your bad cop routine as best you can with Sebastian’s lawyer right there.”

Jenson had his entry all worked out, he was going to storm into the room, slam his hands down in front of Sebastian and demand he confess or it was life behind bars when the moment he stepped into the room he was facing a middle aged balding man.

“Ron Dennis.” He introduces himself by handing Jenson a grey business card. “I’m representing Sebastian Vettel for alleged charges brought against him.”

“Uh…” Jenson was taken aback. “They’re not alleged.”

Ron Dennis waves for both him and David to take a seat. “Let’s have a conversation,” he invites, moving to return to his seat next to Sebastian, in front of a crisp white notebook that he carefully squares up, and picks up his fancy pen. “At 3.20pm, you arrived at my client’s premises to bring charges of…” Ron’s finger runs down the list as he reads out, “Dangerous driving, driving while intoxicated, reckless endangerment…”

David holds up his hand. “We know the charges,” he stops Ron from continuing. “We’d like to ask Sebastian some questions.”

Jenson can see Sebastian straighten, lips pursing together tightly looking unhappy and a little queasy. If he threw up on the table he wasn’t sure if he’d be disgusted or it would fuel his excitement that right now he was in the room with a hung-over fugitive. “Mr. Vettel,” Jenson starts gripping the table edge to help ease his excitement, and the formal reference to his name has Sebastian roll his eyes, “Can you tell us where you were this afternoon a little after 12.00pm?”

“Officer Button,” Ron Dennis interrupts. “My client will only answer questions when I permit him to do so. Please address these towards me while being aware any undue distress or forcefulness will be considered as harassment of my client who as currently stands is _innocent_.”

“Ron, where you today this afternoon a little after 12.00pm?” he asks sarcastically and the look he’s given from the lawyer opposite was enough to freeze him in his place but Sebastian does choke at that, laughter turning into a coughing fit pretty quickly after a look from his father.

“I was on my way to the diner,” Sebastian answers when receiving the nod from his lawyer.

“So you were driving your car then?” Jenson presses leaning forward towards him.

“Yes,” he shrugs.

Jenson was surprised that Sebastian wasn’t going with straight denial, but then again there were half a dozen people who had been at the diner and had seen what happened, probably why he wasn’t going down the ‘not guilty’ path completely. “And _how_ Mr. Vettel, would you describe your driving at the time?” Jenson asks.

Sebastian goes to answer but Ron Dennis holds up his hand abruptly at the question. “That question would lead to a response that is pure conjecture. Do not answer please, Sebastian.”

Jenson glares at Sebastian’s lawyer when Sebastian shuts his mouth. “Would you explain in your own words what happened?” He hurriedly adds, “Facts only,” when Ron’s hand comes up again.

“I was hungry. I went driving. I hit Bruno’s car,” Sebastian states.

“Please note officers that my client here is admitting that he hit Mr. Senna’s car. What our issue is, is the abhorrent suggestion that my client was intoxicated under any substance at the time and that he wasn’t prepared to mend his actions,” Ron cuts in when he was done. “My client, from a _wealthy_ family, had _every_ intention of seeking Mr. Senna out to formally apologising.”

David raises his eyebrows while Jenson scoffs. “Not drunk?”

“My client,” Ron says again, hand up to stop Sebastian from answering, “Has undergone a breathalyser procedure when arriving at these premises. The results have substantially proven that my client here was under the legislated requirements to operate a vehicle…”

“Six hours after the accident!” Jenson bursts out. “That’s ridiculous! We have eyewitnesses that will testify that Sebastian has intoxicated!”

“Eye witness accounts,” Ron says not looking at all fussed at Jenson’s outburst, “Do not amount to evidence, again any responses received by these alleged witness could be construed as conjecture Officer Button.”

“Alleged witness?” David asks surprises. “We _have_ witnesses.”

John Vettel, who had been leaning on a side wall watching like a hawk, now interrupts, a smirk on his face. “I think you’ll find Officer Coulthard that you have no witnesses. I believe you’ll find they were mistaken and are sorry for any inconvenience they caused by lodging a false statement against my son.”

“Son of bitch!” Jenson jumps to his feet facing John Vettel, finger pointing at him accusingly, “You bought them all off!”

“Officer Button!” Ron Dennis was on his feet as well, clearly outraged. “If you are insinuating that either of my clients have committed bribery, blackmail or in anyway stepped between the law acting to it’s fullest, I will be having a word with your superiors. This could be seen to be tainting the name of two well respected citizens of this town…”

“Shut up!” Jenson snaps at him. “You do not walk out of here without a blip on your record Sebastian.” Jenson turns to fume at him. “You hit a car, you left the scene. Not even your hotshot lawyer here can get you out of that charge.”

“We’ll pay the fine,” John cuts in.

“It’s not a fine,” David speaks up, looking clearly as frustrated and angry as Jenson but he was at least attempting to keep himself in check. “It’s a charge and he will face a magistrate.”

“Gentlemen,” Ron had returned to his seat, hands folded over his notepad neatly. “I think we can both agree that as a first time offence by my client, that it would be a waste of resources and time to process the misdemeanour through the legal system, which can be lengthy and complicated. My client is happy to pay a premium on the fine.”

“Bribery?” Jenson seethes.

“A gesture of _goodwill_ ,” Ron corrects. “My client is under no illusion that he has caused a great deal of strain on this town’s fair police department. That of course will be reimbursed to the fullest as well as to Mr. Senna.”

“I can speak to Sheriff Whiting about this,” John warns.

Furious, Jenson wants nothing to do with this. “Do that then!” He glares at Sebastian. “I am not through with you. You keep driving like that and you’ll be the town’s next Eloise Cummings!” He storms out then, leaving David to deal with them. It was people like that who corrupted the system and people like Sheriff Whiting taking the extra incentive to do so. He glares at the Sheriff before he storms out of the station. He was going straight to the pub to drown his sorrows.

*          *          *

Sebastian was exhausted when he finally had gotten home. It felt like his whole day had been nothing but a reminder that he couldn’t do anything right and was unable to not fuck up something. He’d pissed off Mark, he’d pissed off Nico, and he’d pissed off his father. And of course that meant his father had yelled at him till he had gone red in the face, screamed and taken away every privilege he could think of not understanding that none of that really mattered.

While his father had clearly been the angriest out of everyone he’d upset today, he was the one that Sebastian cared about least. Walking back inside, it was the disappointed sigh his mother gave, the little shake of her head before she turned away that stung him far more than anything his father had roared at him. “Mum,” he murmurs wishing he had some explanation for her.

“Get out of my sight,” John hisses in his son’s ear stopping Sebastian’s attempt at going after his mother.

Deciding now wasn’t the time for an argument, he silently heads upstairs and to his room. He lies down on his bed and knows, despite his tiredness, he wasn’t going to find sleep. Instead he stares at the ceiling trying to work out a way to fix everything. He was sure there was some magic way he could undo all of it, there had to be a way to fix this…and him.

“Sebi?”

Sebastian’s eyes flash open at the sound of his mother’s voice. She’d interrupted his attempt at sleep. Looking at the clock he sees it was late and it looked like his mother had snuck out of bed to see him. “I’m sorry,” he tells her as he sits up, and it wasn’t just in an effort to rid his mother’s eyes of that sad look she was giving him, but because he sincerely was.

She walks over and lays his phone on the bedside table next to him. “Don’t tell your father I gave it back to you. But some things are more important than punishment, like apologising to your friends.” And with that, Marina moves to leave the room.

Sebastian can’t believe she wasn’t going to give him a lecture. Was she that upset with him that she now couldn’t bare to be in his presence? “Mum, wait!”

She stops and looks back at him, sighing tiredly. “Sebastian, what do you want me to say? I’m sure everyone has said it already. I’m tired, I’ve had a horrible day. I want to sleep. So unless you have an explanation for what happened that isn’t an excuse…”

“I want to go back…”

“For what reason?” Marina cuts off his request to return to New York for the millionth time quietly. She shakes her head at him. “I get the feeling your running, trying to hide. From what? Working for your father? Taking on responsibility that you need to?”

“No…” It was more than that, but he doesn’t know where to start, how to tell her anything without her hating him the way he hated himself. “It doesn’t matter I guess,” he whispers shaking his head before grabbing his phone and squeezing it. His head starts planning an apology text to Nico when his mother was at the side of his bed once more.

She bends down and kisses his cheek. “I love you and it does matter.” She hurries back to the door then, only stopping to suggest, “Maybe you should call Simone tomorrow… see how Bruno is?”

Swallowing the lump in his throat Sebastian nods, though he had no intentions of that. The door to his room is pulled closed and he is once more alone in the dark. Lying back down he types an apology to Nico. Nico would be easy in the grand scheme of things. He had no idea how to apologise to Mark. And that was with running off this morning, he was hoping Mark knew nothing about today’s other incidents.

“Fuck,” he groans rolling over to bury his face in his pillow. There was no way Mark wouldn’t know. Fuck this small town and fuck Jenson and David. He'd cry, but he had no energy to muster any tears.

*          *          *

Mark uses the day after finding out the town’s latest piece of gossip to attempt to calm himself down. He’d been furious when he’d heard that Sebastian had nearly killed himself and his friends before ploughing into a parked car at the diner while completely pissed. He was very calm as he worked on Sheriff’s Whiting’s police vehicle that was due for its yearly service. Not that he is open yet; the garage is still closed but he hasn’t been able to sleep, so he’s been trying to keep himself busy.

He hears Sebastian approach before he even clears his throat and Mark straightens up, all his apparent calmness evaporating as he throws the tools in his hand aside. “You fucking idiot!” Mark shouts at him, hands now full of Sebastian’s jacket as he shoves him backwards into his tool bench.

Sebastian only yelps, grabbing Mark’s wrists tightly but not fighting back, just staring at him wide-eyed clearly shocked at Mark’s rage that had nothing to with him storming off yesterday morning. “I wasn’t drunk!” he cries out when Mark lifts a fist intent on beating some sense into him.

“Don’t you fucking lie to me!” Mark roars, rage spiking, his control unravelling fast. “You can fucking lie to the cops, you can lie to anyone else, but you _do not_ fucking _lie_ to _me_!” Mark shakes him viciously. “You have no fucking clue! No fucking clue how _stupid_ you can be! You could have been _killed_! You fucking idiot!”

“I’m sorry!” Sebastian gasps, trying to pull Mark’s hands off him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he apologises loudly over Mark’s ranting, slightly terrified. “I was drunk and I’m sorry!”

“Do that again and if you don’t wind up around a tree like Eloise did, I’ll fucking kill you myself!” Mark promises, seething, hands finally releasing Sebastian’s jacket.

“I don’t even know who she is,” Sebastian replies quietly, gripping the bench behind him when Mark steps back shakily.

“That’s because _she’s dead_.”

Mark watches as Sebastian swallows and seeing him clearly in one piece wasn’t doing anything to calm him down. He felt wild and he still wanted to hit Sebastian for being so bloody stupid. He wasn’t even sure that the shaking he felt was just on the inside as his hands slide through his hair, gripping it in an effort to distract himself from the anger coursing through his system.

“Are we done?” Sebastian asks hesitantly, “I can open up…?”

“No. We are not done,” Mark snaps, stepping forward once more and reaching for Sebastian, fingers scrunch at his shirt till his knuckles were white. Screw the niceties, and screwing playing polite. Mark rips Sebastian towards him in a sharp tug, Sebastian stumbling and crashing against him before Mark kisses him harshly.

The surprised cry was all the access needed to kiss him desperately. And Mark knows he’s attacking him like some crazed man; practically raping his mouth, hands everywhere, needing to touch every inch of the younger man to ensure that he _really_ was in one piece. The thought thundering through him that he had nearly lost this. It only drives him wilder and when Sebastian kisses him back and lets him take what he wants; open and willing and clinging to him while he moans into Mark’s mouth as he’s manhandled roughly, only spurs Mark on.

Crashing into the tool bench, the cluttering of things clanging to the floor goes unnoticed by both as they make out furiously. Instead they press harder together, tongues feuding for control and hands now pushing at jackets and shirts seeking more. Mark finally manages to get one hand under Sebastian’s shirt to touch the skin on his back, roaming across the smooth flesh before grunting in frustration because it wasn’t enough.

Sebastian tears his mouth from Mark, gasping for air, and Mark can feel Sebastian’s fingers digging into his hips beneath his shirt, the only action needed to tell Mark not to leave. But maybe Sebastian didn’t think he’d get it because moments later he was being backed and pinned to the side of Sheriff Whiting’s car, and then they were kissing again. Sebastian though attacking him, hands pulling at his shirt in frustration, trying to undo buttons all the while rutting against him, his hard cock pushed against Mark, trying to find friction and ensuring that Mark lost another piece of his mind.

The hand that Mark had worked under Sebastian’s shirt immediately shifts to Sebastian’s ass, the other joining it, gripping tightly as he tries to pull Sebastian closer, making him move just right as he thrusts his own erection against Sebastian’s. There was no way the loud moans filling the garage were simply Sebastian’s. In fact, maybe there were his alone as his head drops back, mouths breaking apart, as Mark’s fingers press deeper into the flesh of Sebastian’s ass. Mark lets himself go for a few minutes, lost in the frustrating pleasure of far too much material rubbing his throbbing cock and separating him from the one he wanted.

Despite the dive into the hazy world of want and lust the thought trickles through once more that Sebastian had nearly killed himself. It has Mark stop this time, spin them, trying to pin Sebastian down. Because he wanted this and he wanted Sebastian to stop fighting him and this… _them_.

When he has Sebastian’s arms locked by his sides he stares at the swollen lips he’d kissed and bitten into that state. “Don’t kill yourself,” he orders. “I’m not done with you and you still owe me money,” he rasps.

“I said sorry,” Sebastian moans lifting his hips towards Mark, “Don’t stop. Don’t, please.”

Mark releases his arms then and smashes his mouth back against Sebastian unable to stop from fulfilling the panted plea. This time between their furious kisses, both of them pull at clothes as they stumble around. It’s all a bit of blur as to _exactly_ how they ended up like this. Sebastian in just a pushed up shirt splayed across the bonnet of the Sheriff’s car, Mark between his legs with only his pants around his ankles, both their cocks in his vice-like grip.

“Mark,” Sebastian arches up trying to thrust, searching for friction, reaching down to help but Mark bats away his hands each time. “Fuck. Fuck.”

And Mark wants him to suffer and to hurt and to ache. But god he wanted this so badly, he couldn’t stop and with Sebastian twisting and begging he can’t help himself. He moves his hand, thrusting forward into his grip and against Sebastian’s throbbing heated flesh. His control snaps then and he moves. Sebastian’s hand there and over his, forcing Mark to hold them tighter, move faster as they both rush towards the end.

It’s all over too quickly and Mark can’t do anything to hold back his orgasm because it hits him from nowhere, crying out first, he falls forward, one hand slamming to the bonnet to hold himself up as he flies over the edge. Sebastian’s right there after, one hand still on their cocks the other digging fingers into Mark’s arm as he arches up calling out loudly.

Gasping for his breath back, Mark lowers his head to Sebastian’s chest where he was drawing in large breaths of his own, while still jerking under him as he comes down. When enough sanity has returned, Mark lifts himself back up, standing up properly as Sebastian continued to lay there sprawled out, flushed and spent. Mark opens his mouth to apologise because he probably shouldn’t have done that but Sebastian speaks first.

“I have work to do,” he breathes out, sounding as if still dazed, but it has Mark stop rubbing the top of Sebastian’s thighs.

Nodding Mark steps back and pulls up his pants to right himself while Sebastian shakily got to his own feet. He moves to find his discarded pants and underwear as Mark stares at the front of the Sheriff’s car. While it hadn’t been filthy there had been dust which now had been imprinted with a smeared image of Sebastian’s body, along with a few lines of smudged come. Sebastian is next to him then staring at it with pursed lips.

“I’ll clean it when you’re done,” he comments and Mark looks across to see that Sebastian didn’t look as if he was going to bolt at any moment, before noting that his cheeks were bright pink.

He wants to lean over and bite at them but he resists, instead mutters, “I’ll open up.” Sebastian nods before hurrying away to the office, apparently all said and done in regards to his wild and inappropriate driving yesterday. That wasn’t at all how Mark pictured his ‘lecture’ ending up. He gets back to work on the car, humming as he does because he felt completely relaxed and calm now.

*          *          *


	11. Chapter 11

David gets out of his patrol car, stretching because he was pleased to be on his feet and not his ass. Having to do radar patrol on Glenwood’s main road was a bitch. He was pretty sure he and Jenson were being punished for Jenson’s over enthusiastic interviewing of Sebastian last night. There were times he wished he was partnered with someone a little less… _Jenson_. Not that he would ever request a change, he wasn’t sure he could survive every dull day of their job without him.

“Leave it!” David calls to Jenson, who had made a beeline for Sebastian’s parked car at the front of Mark’s garage where they had pulled up; most likely looking for something to fine him for. He knew Jenson was ticked off that Sebastian had walked free last night, but he’d been around long enough to know that was just how things were – and Sebastian wasn’t a _bad_ person, just angry.

Slowing, David’s brow furrows at Sebastian polishing the front of one of the police station cars. But it was just the front and he was putting in a lot of effort. The bonnet was gleaming in the sun, the back half looked like it had driven on too many dirt roads. “What are you doing?” Sebastian looks up, freezing.

“I haven’t done anything,” Sebastian says flatly. “I’m doing my job.”

“Leave him,” Mark calls out from the workshop, sliding out from beneath the car he was working on before sitting up and wiping his greasy fingers on a greased rag. “He’s been cleaning the front of that car for the last twenty minutes.” David can tell Mark was amused but whatever the inside joke it isn’t explained.

“Let’s go the pub for lunch today,” Jenson was next to him, having given up on Sebastian’s car. “We’re bored. Without Sebastian on the road driving, there’s no one to arrest.”

“Lay off,” Mark grunts moving to grab a bottle of water which he sculls. When done he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, adding a few more grease marks to his face. David smiles at Mark’s obliviousness to them. “Seb!” Mark calls him over and this time it isn’t just Jenson that flinches when Mark extends the invite, “You want to join us for lunch at the pub?”

Sebastian dumps his bucket down near them abandoning his cleaning project. “Car’s done. And I’ll skip lunch.” He was eyeing both Jenson and David warily.

“They’re not going to arrest you for eating,” Mark attempts to coax him.

“I have work to do,” Sebastian says, spinning on his heel and walking back to the office.

“How come this work never involves my filing?” Mark shouts after him. “Do my filing, Sebastian!” The only response Mark gets is a door slammed.

Jenson raises his eyebrows. “Are you two having a tiff?”

“If we’re having a tiff, it’s the best bloody one so far,” Mark smirks.

“You slept with him,” David says, after a moment pursing his lips and fighting down the jealousy that surged through him, mostly from habit. After all this time he still found it hard to accept that Mark wasn’t his, even though his head knew that was the case and that that wasn’t ever going to change.

“Let’s just get some food,” Mark dodges the topic as they walk out.

“I think you’re right DC,” Jenson smirks. “They definitely fucked.”

“It is _definitely_ none of you business.”

Despite the fact that it is no more than a ten minute walk, they drive to the pub, and it’s only when they’re sitting waiting for their meals does Jenson raises the topic again, but David was with Mark now, he didn’t really want to talk about Mark and Sebastian at all. He wanted to enjoy his steak and ignore that Mark was potentially moving on.

“Seriously, are you and Sebastian having a thing now?” Jenson asks straight out.

“It’s not a thing,” Mark mutters, fiddling with his napkin looking exceptionally uncomfortable. “It isn’t a thing until Sebastian says it’s a thing.”

“Okay,” Jenson says leaning forward, eyes fixed on Mark, silently daring him to look away. “Do you have feelings for him?”

“Jenson, please shut up,” David breathes out because he really did not want to know the answer to that.

“He’s okay,” Mark answers far too casually for that to be his actual answer, David wishes he was somewhere else.

“How okay? Okay you just want to fuck him? Okay you want to be friends with benefits with him? Okay you _really_ like him. Or okay I _love_ him?” Jenson continues like he wasn’t aware that he was making both his friends shift uncomfortably.

“Since you’re the expert Jenson why don’t you just tell me which one it is?” Mark asks, sitting back and crossing his arms. “Use your investigative skills Officer Button.”

“Oh god,” David groans. “Please don’t encourage him.”

Jenson clasps his hands together excitedly. “Well you don’t need to be a detective to know you want to fuck him.” He pauses though and still asks, “Right?”

“Yes,” Mark answers bluntly. “I want to fuck him, probably far harder than he would enjoy just because he pisses this shit out of me.”

“I don’t know anyone that does casual sex worse than you,” Jenson continues as their food arrives, and David grabs his and digs in immediately, hoping that by eating he can try and not hear the conversation going on around him. “So you at least like him as a friend. I’m going to rule out the ‘you love him option’ because I doubt you’d be so stupid to actually fall in love with Sebastian Vettel, who is: a, confused, b in denial, and c a delinquent to society.”

“I’d argue c with you,” Mark responds eating a chip. “C is a direct consequence of a and b.”

David, who was ignoring the conversation, chimes in now, “Well you could argue that a is actually due to b. So it might just be denial.”

Jenson purses his lips. “I’m going with ‘you _really_ like him’. I give it at least another two weeks before you do fall into the stupid category and fall in love with him.”

“He’s not a bad person Jens,” Mark tells him, again not bothering to comment on Jenson’s summation. “Give the kid a break.”

“He’s not a kid,” Jenson reminds him. “And I’m sure you’re aware of that or you wouldn’t be fantasising about every possible way to fuck him in the garage.”

Mark chokes on a chip, and David chokes on his water as Mark actually blushes. “You fucked there already didn’t you,” David deduces, shocked.

“I haven’t _fucked_ him,” Mark hisses back. “Can we drop this now? Haven’t you questioned me enough?”

David gives up pretending to be not involved. “Come on Mark. What are you doing with him? You really think this is going to be something? That he is ever going to let this be something real?” Jenson was nodding his head in agreement as he eats.

“As Officer Button here kindly informed me, Officer Coulthard, I am not in love with him. So you can both back off with the concern.” Mark was clearly through with playing this game.

Jenson turns serious. “Mark, just don’t get hurt, because that’s how this is going to end. When you’re through with recuperating your money, the most pathetic excuse to keep him employed FYI, Sebastian will up and leave and go back to his rich friends and work for his father. Don’t forget that.”

“Eat your bloody lunch or _you’ll_ end up hurt.”

“Mark,” David tries again, voice pleading with him, but it sees his friend get to his feet, lunch mostly untouched as he walks out.

“You’re paying for his meal,” Jenson states when his mouth is empty. “He said drop it and you didn’t listen.” Jenson only yelps with David smacks him across the back of the head.

*          *          *

Sebastian had made himself home in Mark’s apartment, helped himself to one of the 20 frozen pizzas in the freezer and then scoffed just about the whole lot. His mother would kill him if she knew what he was eating, but if you eat enough of them they’re not so bad. He was finishing his last piece when Mark appeared in the doorway scowling.

“Quite comfortable there?”

Mark was giving him that unimpressed stare, he knew that, yet it had quite the opposite affect on him than Mark intended, it was fucking hot. Just like Mark was hot this morning shouting at him, being all possessive… Sebastian shoves the rest of the slice of pizza in his mouth and stops those thoughts, or otherwise this was going to become an embarrassing moment.

“How long have you been on lunch?” Mark asks crossing his arms.

“I have fifteen minutes left,” Sebastian forces out the response around the mouthful of pizza he was struggling to chew. Mark stands there watching and the moment he had swallowed Mark continues. “Right, come here then.”

Sebastian hesitates, not sure how to read the look that Mark was giving him right now, but he stands up and makes his way slowly towards him. “What?” he asks cautiously.

The moment he was in reach, Mark grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him flush against him. Sebastian makes a small sound of surprise, intent on stepping back but finding his body wasn’t listening to his head as one arm falls around Mark’s shoulders as he leans forward, eyes zeroing in on Mark’s mouth as he licks his lips.

“I need you to tell me what you want, what this is.” Mark says quietly while his fingers run across Sebastian’s lower back in the most distracting manner. “And this has nothing to do about you and everything to do about me.”

Sebastian shifts against Mark in an effort to get closer, even though that was impossible. He flicks Mark’s earlobe with his thumb as he lets Mark’s words filter through his head; it takes a while. “I don’t know,” he finally answers, though he was still distracted, fingers now rubbing Mark’s neck trying to find his pulse…

Mark’s breath hitches when Sebastian latches his mouth to his throat and starts sucking. “Aw shit,” Mark groans as he lets himself be pushed backwards the few steps till he was pressed against the closed door, Sebastian attacking his throat and neck, kissing and sucking. “I probably taste like grease,” Mark lets his head fall against the door and Sebastian pushes harder into him.

Sebastian pulls back to see if it was grease that he tasted. There wasn’t any, it was just Mark. He wanted to know if Mark tasted this good everywhere, his fingers grabbing at the collar of Mark’s t-shirt and trying to pull it away so he could lick at his collarbone. His head is grabbed and tilted back till he was staring into a pair of hazel eyes that were burning at him. “God, you’re hot…” Sebastian wasn’t even aware that he breathed those words aloud till Mark responded.

“You’re not bad yourself mate, but you’re not telling me what I want to know. And I don’t want to do this and have you give me the silent treatment because of your guilt complex every time we do _anything_.” Mark can’t resist nipping at his lips lightly.

Sebastian wishes he would kiss him properly and tries to communicate through a silent longing look. Mark fails at telepathy because he’s pushed away then and left feeling cold without all the heat. “Don’t…”

“Lunch is over,” Mark states, voice slightly shaky as he moves to open the door behind him. “You want this, then answer the question.”

Sebastian blinks at him confused as he slowly comes back down. “What question?”

Mark ushers him out. “I’m sure you’ll work it out. Now go do my filing.”

“And what are you doing?” Sebastian asks moving down the stairs.

“Having a cold shower.”

“Well it’s not like you even get hot water,” Sebastian mumbles stomping down to the office not at all happy he didn’t get what he wanted. Though what that was is a little unclear, but anything other than being sent back to work would have been nice.

*          *          *

It’s at dinner when Sebastian’s mother finally can no longer take her son’s distant far away looks, interrupting the silence of their meal. “What are you thinking about? For days you have been silent and sullen.”

“Leave him,” John mutters, “He’s probably planning on how to use Ron Dennis’s services again before the week is out.”

Marina ignores him and looks hard at Sebastian who was glaring across the table at his father. “Sebastian,” she coaxes. “If there is something on your mind…”

“It better well be the starting date he comes and works for me,” John again interrupts, this time resulting in Sebastian throwing his cutlery down.

“When hell freezes over, pencil me in,” Sebastian snaps at him.

“Sebastian!” Marina for the millionth time wishes the two of them would not bait each other.

“Dinner was nice mum.”

“Where are you going?” John asks as Sebastian gets to his feet. “You have not been excused.”

“Mum,” Sebastian ignores his father and looks straight at his mother. “If I may be excused, I promised to help Nico wire up his new entertainment system tonight.”

“Marina,” John warns.

“Of course honey,” she gives him a tight smile and the look Sebastian gives to his father may as well have been accompanied by the finger. She’s given a kiss before Sebastian leaves, not a word exchanged between father and son.

“Stop encouraging his behaviour Marina,” John snaps at his wife. “The boy needs some discipline.”

“I don’t think that’s the problem,” Marina sighs listening to Sebastian start up his car loudly. “I just…” She frowns because she couldn’t work it out, “He’s keeping something a secret. I just keep thinking if we let him go back to New York…”

“No!” John barks at her. “He belongs here, He will stay here. He will work for me. That is the end of it. There is no discussion. I paid for him to go to New York to study, he did that. Now he does what I want, and what is good for this family,” he says getting to his feet. “I’m tired of waiting for Sebastian to come to his senses. This working for Webber is to yank my chain. I will not tolerate it for much longer.”

Marina leans back and sips from her glass of wine. “If I’m not mistaken John, the only reason he was working for Mark in the first place was that you and Mark came to an arrangement over a smashed windscreen. I really don’t think this is Sebastian _yanking your chain_.” 

John can only glare at his wife. “Stop coddling the boy. I’m going to the office to do some work.”

Marina purses her lips and says nothing, instead goes back to worrying about Sebastian. Because a mother knows when something was amiss, and there was something she was missing.

*          *          *

Mark was eating breakfast alone in the diner. He wasn’t up for cooking this morning and he was craving a real breakfast not cooked by him. The last thing he expected to slide opposite his plate full of eggs and mostly bacon, was Sebastian. Things between them had been cool the last few days since Mark had told him to tell him what he wanted, though it wasn’t unpleasant. Sebastian had sort of withdrawn and Mark had watched him sit and do nothing for the last few days as he pondered on things. For the first time, Mark hadn’t berated him about doing nothing.

“Okay,” Sebastian states to him nodding his head.

“Okay?” Mark repeats, squirting sauce all over everything.

“ _Okay_ ,” Sebastian says slower like it was meant to make things clearer.

And Mark knows he could probably work it out, but he wanted Sebastian to say it, make his point clear so this wouldn’t end up in an argument later where Sebastian was denying everything and he was left feeling stupid. Or ‘hurt’ if he were to use Jenson’s words.

“You’re going to make me say it aren’t you?” Sebastian pouts as he crosses his arms and Mark answers with silence while digging into his breakfast. Sebastian huffs before leaning forward on the table. “If you know what I mean, why can’t you just take the okay? This isn’t easy.”

“Because I know it isn’t easy,” Mark responds pulling his plate closer when Sebastian steals a rasher of bacon. “Seb, I can’t keep fooling around with you. I like you, but you fuck with my head too much. So if you want this, tell me so I know you’re not going to freak out about it.”

“Saying anything out loud isn’t going to stop me freaking out,” Sebastian hisses to him leaning across the table when Sheriff Whiting walks in. “I’m freaking out _now_. I want this and I don’t want this. God! And all I do at the moment is think about _this_.” He gestures between the two of them to make his point clear. “You know this is all your fault don’t you?”

Mark swallows his mouthful. “Seb, were you happy in New York?”

“Of course!” Sebastian snaps. “Why do you think I want to go back?”

“Was there someone you liked? A guy?” Mark drops his voice to ensure they weren’t overheard. “It would have been easier in a place where you didn’t know every single person.”

“Before you, there has never been anyone.” Sebastian though was shifting around uncomfortably and not looking directly at him.

“But there _was_ someone.” Silence was the only confirmation Mark needed. “Seb the point I’m trying to make is, if it hadn’t been me, it would have been someone else. This isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s just who you are. Stop fighting it.” Mark gives him an encouraging smile but it’s not returned. Mark then waits for Sebastian to get up and walk out as was to be expected when they even broached the topic that he might be gay.

“You’re wrong,” Sebastian says after the silence had stretched between them, enough time having passed that Mark had eaten most of his breakfast. Sebastian was on his feet before finishing with, “It wouldn’t have been someone else.”

*          *          *

Sebastian had done nothing today. He didn’t care if Mark yelled at him about it because he couldn’t focus on anything other than staring through the grotty piece of glass that looked out at the garage, and just _watched_ Mark work. Ever since breakfast this morning he felt anxious, because this, _they_ , were now something. He thinks so anyway. Or not. Mark and he hadn’t spoken a word to each other since.

More than once he had walked out of the office and determinedly into the workshop, stood at Mark’s feet when he was under a car, prepared to actually spit the words out, ‘Okay I like you. We can be a _thing_.’ But they just wouldn’t get past his throat, so he’d just return back to the office and went back to the staring. Sebastian was pretty sure Mark wasn’t oblivious; Mark wasn’t oblivious to anything. He _wished_ Mark was oblivious.

Mark though had invited him to join him for pizza at lunch as per usual, but Sebastian had declined not at all feeling like food. And he was busy. Thinking. Mark had shrugged like it didn’t bother him and left him alone. Sebastian can only glare after him as he walks up the stairs that led to his crappy apartment. It wasn’t fair that Mark didn’t care and was calm about it all when Sebastian thinks if he kept thinking about this he might hyperventilate to death.

During lunch, Sebastian finds something to do. He cleans the windows of Mark’s office. He has to use a paint scraper to get all the crap off the glass. He doesn’t bother with the window that overlooked the car park, just the windows that faced the garage. When it’s done, he goes back into the office, slams the door, and sits on the chair. There. Now he could see things much clearer. He leans forward on the desk, eyes glued to Mark who was smirking at him as he grabbed at tools. Sebastian glares back. Fuck Mark and his non-obviousness.

An hour later Sebastian once more stalks out of the office and stops next to the side of the car Mark had been under all day. This was the longest he had seen Mark under any car, he had thought about asking if Mark was napping under there or reading a book, but decided that right now he didn’t want Mark pissed at him. “Okay,” Sebastian says, the words out before he can choke on them.

Mark’s head pops out from under the car, body skewed in an awkward position. “Okay?”

“ _Okay_ ,” Sebastian repeats feeling like this might end up being the same conversation as this morning. And it was as if Mark thinks the same thing because he sighs and slides back out of sight. Gripping the side mirror of the car Sebastian lets the words tumble out in one rushed breath. “Okay I like you, I want this with you, I want to make out with you in the woods, and I want to fool around with you on all the police cars in town, especially Jenson’s and David’s. _I want you_.”

Something clutters to the garage floor, Sebastian goes with wrench because he can’t think of any other tool name before Mark reappears lying near his feet. “I know,” Mark says simply grinning up at him. “Didn’t know you had a thing about doing it on police cars though.”

“Shut up,” Sebastian orders, cheeks flaming bright red. But he notes that the smile Mark was giving him was brighter than he had seen before, and his eyes were shining with happiness. And for the first time all day, the anxious knot his stomach had been in slowly unwinds itself.

Mark’s hand touches the back of his heel, thumb flicking across his socked ankle. “Okay,” he eventually murmurs, hand now stroking the back of Sebastian’s calf.

“Okay?”

“ _Okay_ ,” Mark says in the same tone that Sebastian had used before teasing him.

But still Sebastian shivers at Mark’s acceptance, at his hand massaging his leg and creeping higher to the sensitive crease behind his knee; he was pleased now he’d worn shorts despite the cool weather. But then Mark’s hand was gone, a chaste kiss placed on the side of his leg before Mark disappears once more under the car.

“We can talk about defiling Glenwood’s police vehicles after work Seb. Please go do my filing till then.”

Huffing, Sebastian stalks back to the office and sits down. It’s then that it all starts sinking in, what he’d just done. There’s this excitement fluttering inside him before it’s drowned out by nervousness, realisation hitting him – Mark was gay, had been gay for what was probably longer than he’d been alive, and besides the few fumblings he had with Mark, he knew nothing about sex with a man.

And that was the thought that led Sebastian sitting hunched over his laptop watching gay porn. At first it had done nothing, far too many things were having him freak out with thoughts of running to Mark and calling it all off. If Mark ever asked to put a _hand_ up his _ass_ , this was _over_. But it was while watching some guy go down on another guy that Sebastian felt like the room was getting far too hot. Too many thoughts popping up about Mark sucking him off and then they were being crushed with thoughts of him blowing Mark.

What would it feel like to suck on his cock? What would Mark taste like? Would he be able to swallow it all like the guy on the screen was doing? Sebastian wasn’t even aware that the breathy little pants he was letting out were soon moans, hips rolling on the chair as he watched entranced at the seemingly never ending blow job displayed in front of him. Unable to help himself any longer, Sebastian cups himself through his shorts, squeezing his cock that was throbbing for attention.

“Is this what you do all day?”

Sebastian flails wildly on his chair, heart stopping as he turns to see Mark standing in the doorway. He was too turned on to be embarrassed when he calms enough that it wasn’t a _customer_ , just Mark. Mark who was giving him _that_ look. Mark who stepped into the office without another word, closed the door, and within seconds, the old blinds that had probably never been touched dropped down with a bang before Sebastian was pulled to his feet.

“We’re going to have to talk about what’s _work_ appropriate,” Mark says, voice gravelly as he pulls Sebastian to his feet. “But later.” Mark’s hand palms Sebastian’s cock through his pants.

Sebastian can’t stop the thrust of his hips forward wanting more while his own hands touched Mark’s face, stroking his stubbled cheeks before pushing into his hair, all thoughts of blowing him still right there in his head. “Please,” Sebastian whispers, it was probably the only word he could get out right now because he felt light headed; he was sure because all the blood was now in one place. He felt drunk with arousal as he moved to press his face to Mark’s neck and just breathe him in. He smelt like the garage and cars, like Mark.

“Please what?” Mark asks squeezing his cock harder as he twists to look at Sebastian’s laptop that was still playing. “You want me to suck you off?”

There’s a choked noise at that from Sebastian before he shakes his head. And before Mark can ask anymore questions that he was simply unable to answer right now, he drops his knees in front of Mark in the middle of the office. He was aware of the noise Mark made, a surprised groan when he presses his face to Mark’s crotch feeling his erection through his work trousers.

“Seb,” Mark rasps, fingers in Sebastian’s hair. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Sebastian though was already pulling at Mark’s pants, fingers fumbling as fast as possible to yank them down. “No,” Sebastian says when Mark’s cock finally springs free and he groans at the sight, hands grasping Mark’s thighs as he stares at it hungrily.

Mark’s fingers tighten in Sebastian’s hair watching as Sebastian kneels in front of him, licking his lips like he was starved. And when Sebastian grasps him finally with one hand and tips his head back to look up at him, Mark couldn’t hold back his moan at the look of utter want in those blue eyes. Mark felt his cock throb, and it took sheer willpower not to rip Sebastian’s head forward.

“Say please,” Sebastian orders, lips now rubbing the underside of Mark’s cock revelling in this so completely.

“Fuck,” Mark gasps, a sharp bolt of arousal slamming into him at the demand and the feel of lips against his cock. “Fuck, _please_.”

Sebastian moans against Mark’s cock at those words, kissing and dragging his lips against the heated flesh. And when he can’t resist any longer, he licks him, tongue trailing over the length, following a pulsing vein before finally sweeping across the leaking tip. Sebastian wasn’t the only one that whimpered, and after deciding that Mark didn’t taste awful - he tasted like Mark - Sebastian chases more of it. He pushes his tongue into the slit, licks and suckles at the head of his cock wanting it all. He wanted _everything_.

“Holy shit Seb,” Mark moans loudly when he curses. He was almost doubled over, fingers tangled in Sebastian’s hair, the only thing he had to hold on to, as finally Sebastian moves to take the length properly into his mouth, ceasing the torturous teasing.

Sebastian was enjoying this far more than he ever thought he would. Maybe it was because Mark was choking on his name and unable to catch his breath, or maybe it was because he could feel Mark’s legs trembling, or maybe it was because he _loved_ knowing all of that was because of him and this was just a power trip. Wanting more, he forces more of Mark’s cock into his mouth, wanting to take it all, and when he gags he tries again, swallowing and licking in between his attempts, one hand wrapped around the base, twisting and stroking what he couldn’t manage.

It’s far too soon for Sebastian when Mark starts yanking his hair in a desperate warning, he didn’t want to stop yet. “Seb…Seb!” Mark gasps out just as Sebastian releases him with a pop, hand pumping quickly watching lustfully as Mark comes in thick spurts that cover his fingers and hand. Hand slowing, Sebastian leans forward to taste it, tongue flicking out tentatively to lick at the evidence of his orgasm. It wasn’t anything great, not horrible though as he licks his lips.

“Come here,” Mark orders voice hoarse as he attempts to drag Sebastian back to his feet. When he is, Mark’s hands, still in Sebastian’s hair, yank him close, smashing their mouths together in a messy kiss that has Sebastian suddenly once more very aware of his own cock. “Fuck,” Mark breathes out pushing Sebastian back to the desk, “I. Love. Your. Mouth.” Each word punctuated between kisses.

“Please,” Sebastian gasps when he’s made to sit on the filing, spreading his legs and trying to lift his hips so Mark got the hint. Mark though was staring at his come covered hand that he was holding up out of the way having not yet processed what to do about the mess. Mark takes care of it, Sebastian’s fingers in the wet warmth of Mark’s mouth, tongue flicking and licking at them as he cleans them. “Oh god,” Sebastian gasps legs locking around the older man. “ _Please_.” He was sure that it might actually be possible to come from just this and nothing else when his fingers were suddenly being sucked.

Mark though suddenly steps back, Sebastian’s fingers glistening in saliva placed in his lap as Mark backed away. “One moment,” Mark says hurriedly fixing his pants, slamming Sebastian’s laptop closed that was still playing porn and leaving the office.

It takes a long moment for Sebastian’s head to clear of haze and hear that Mark was dealing with a customer. It doesn’t clear enough though because when Mark was back after what felt like an eternity they were kissing furiously. And just as he was about to start begging again, Mark was yanking him behind him.

“Upstairs,” Mark says clutching Sebastian’s wrist tightly in fear that he was going to bolt. “I’ve closed up, and we’re going to bed.” It was stated in a way that said it wasn’t up for arguing, Sebastian wouldn’t have _ever_ dreamed of arguing. He’d never been so happy to follow any order from Mark as he was now; Mark didn’t even have to tell him twice.

*          *          *


	12. Chapter 12

Sebastian was running late, he knew that. And the moment he pulled up at Mark’s workshop, Mark was shouting his name. He snatches up his laptop from the seat next to him and rushes into the office to find Mark throwing paper all around the office.

“Why can’t you do the filing?” Mark snaps, “And why are you late?”

Sebastian sucks in his breath; someone was clearly in a foul mood. “I forgot my laptop so I went back to get it,” he answers sharply.

“Why do you need your laptop? So you can play solitaire?”

“Well it’s not like that thing is capable,” Sebastian retorts, pointing to the pile of junk in the corner of the desk. Sebastian had spent far too much time shouting at that thing from the stone age he wasn’t even going to boot it up anymore; that and because he may have put a virus on it the first week he was here when he tried to download some game. It had been a waste of time because Mark had fucking dial up.

“Did you order that muffler for the Adams’ van like I asked?” Mark had returned to going through his papers.

“Yes,” Sebastian answers, unimpressed that Mark suddenly acted like he was incompetent.

“Well why the hell didn’t it show up? They’re going on a family trip and they’re picking up the van this afternoon and the muffler should have been in yesterday.”

“Well I used a different supplier…” Sebastian starts before Mark looked like he was going to murder him. “But I’ll chase it up. I’ll fix it,” he promises hurriedly.

“Good, now do some goddamn filing,” Mark orders walking out of the office, shouting out as he goes, “And don’t fuck with my suppliers!”

Sebastian curses, scrambling to look for the details in the mess of paperwork; Mark really needed to hire someone to do his filing. It takes him twenty minutes to find the order form for the muffler and a furious conversation with the supplier that turned out to be completely shit and there certainly wasn’t going to be a muffler arriving today.

Angry, he grabs his phone and calls Jaime as he begins to black out the name of the new supplier he’d used on Mark’s new supplier list he’d done up. “Jaime, I need you to do me a favour,” he says to his friend.

“I’m working,” Jaime shouts over the sound of sawmills in the background.

“Well so am I,” Sebastian retorts. “Can you please get me a muffler for a…” Sebastian checks the paperwork before giving Jaime the year and make of the car. “I need it now.”

“And where the hell am I meant to get a muffler?” Jaime asks, agitated.

“I don’t know!” Sebastian says frustrated. “You always manage to get everything we ever needed when we were kids. Just do the same thing. And bring it to me at lunch,” he orders. Sebastian hangs up the phone on Jaime’s protests before wiping his arm across the desk to shove Mark’s papers away to make room for his laptop which he starts up.

At lunch, Sebastian is relieved to see Jaime’s car skid to a halt in the front car park. It was about time, now Mark could stop yelling at him every five minutes. Heading outside he sees Jaime yank what must be a muffler off his back seat. Sebastian takes it smiling. “Where did you get it?”

“Some van parked at a roadhouse,” Jaime shrugs.

Sebastian freezes. “You stole it?”

“Where else do you think I get everything? That time we blew up the tree house, I didn’t exactly walk into a hardware store and buy the dynamite did I?” Jaime is not happy that Sebastian wasn’t more appreciative of his efforts. “Mark doesn’t have to know its stolen, and who knows, maybe he’ll get to fix two cars out of this. Bigger profits, you should _thank_ me.”

Sebastian wasn’t sure _how_ he expected Jaime to get the muffler; he just wished he didn’t know it was stolen. Sighing, he leaves Jaime to return to work and he goes to Mark holding out the muffler. “Here,” he says.

“Thanks,” Mark says putting it aside. “You want pizza?”

“No,” Sebastian answers. “Mum made me lunch. If I keep eating pizza I’ll die before I’m thirty.”

That makes Mark’s mouth twitch a little into a smile. “I lived passed thirty…”

“Yeah, well you need to stop eating pizza too. Mum made you lunch as well.” Sebastian goes to the office opening the tiny fridge where he’d stashed his lunch, holding it up to Mark who was standing in the office doorway.

“And what did your Mum make for us?” Mark asks, looking no where near as moody as he had been for most of the day.

“Don’t know,” Sebastian says as they head upstairs to Mark’s apartment. “It’s a surprise.”

Mark holds open the door for him, “You do know that having your Mum make you lunch is…” Sebastian braces himself for some adjective of the word ‘child’ but Mark finishes it with, “Nice.”

Sebastian grins then and the two of them eat lunch, Sebastian scoffing his meatball roll down as fast as he could. He then wraps an arm around Mark’s neck and throws a leg over him. “Hurry up and eat,” Sebastian says impatiently. Mark never let their lunch break go for more than forty-five minutes, no matter what they were doing. And Sebastian was horny; he wanted to try and come twice before he went back to work.

In the last two weeks he and Mark spent just about every lunch making out and getting off and Sebastian was now completely addicted to Mark. He couldn’t get enough. He begins to kiss Mark’s neck as he reaches down to undo Mark’s jeans.

“I’m not really in the mood,” Mark says grabbing Sebastian’s hand.

Sebastian looks at him hurt and not sure what to think of Mark saying no. He always seemed just as eager to fool around. Maybe Mark was bored with what they did, after all it wasn’t as if they were having _actual_ sex; he wouldn’t let Mark anywhere near his ass no matter how many times Mark tried. “Okay,” he mutters shifting back to his side of the couch.

Mark sighs and pulls Sebastian back to him. “Not about you,” Mark tells him kissing him softly. “I just had a phone call this morning that has put me a bad mood. It was a… friend.” The way Mark hesitates and says the word ‘friend’ indicated that was probably not quite the case.

“What was the call about?” Sebastian’s curiosity was peaked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Mark says pulling Sebastian into his lap properly and letting the younger man straddle him before holding him. “Actually… I’ll tell you when you do my filing,” he grins.

“I’m not going to do your filing,” Sebastian tells him determinedly.

“Seb what am I paying you to do all day?” Mark looks annoyed again. “I love your company but I can’t afford to pay you to just keep the office seat warm.” Sebastian doesn’t point out it wasn’t really being paid if he didn’t see the money since it was working off a debt.

“I do stuff,” Sebastian defends annoyed as well leaning back and crossing his arms. “I’m just not going to be your file clerk.” He gets to his feet pushing away Mark’s arm that tries and pull him back. “Like this afternoon I’m going to go and see Paul Di Resta to get you a new sign done up. One that reads ‘Complimentary car wash with every service’.”

“What?” Mark says eyes widening. “I don’t have time to wash the cars!”

“I suck at fixing cars Mark, but I know how to clean them! And it will bring in more business. Nico was saying most people tend to go to the big dealers to get their car serviced closer to the city. This will be incentive to stay local. And did you know that you can become qualified to be a certified mechanic to perform warranty services on new cars for some brands? Like Toyota and Honda?”

Mark was taken aback and he didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t do nothing,” Sebastian snaps. “I do have a degree in business management, which makes me slightly more qualified than to file all your fucking paperwork.” With that he turns and stomps away, ignoring him when Mark called out his name.

Sebastian was startled to find that someone was in the garage peering into one of the cars Mark was working on. “What are you doing?” Sebastian snaps.

The guy jumps, banging his head as he straightens up. “Hey,” he smiles at him, “I’m Lewis, Lewis Hamilton. Do you know if Mark is around?”

Mark’s feet were hurrying down the stairs. “Seb, wait a sec…” Mark though trails off when he sees Lewis.

“Hey,” Lewis says, looking nervous and like he might bolt at any moment as he stares at Mark.

Sebastian stares between them trying to work out what was going on because Mark was once more looking angry and clearly back in his foul mood. “Sebastian go to the office and do something,” Mark orders.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Sebastian returns angrily but Mark shoves him in that direction, nodding his head for Lewis to follow him out into the car park. Sebastian stands there, arms crossed and glaring out the window as he watches Mark and Lewis talking, well it looked like Mark was yelling but they were on the far side of the car park now and he couldn’t hear anything. He feels a wild surge of jealousy when he sees Lewis touch Mark’s arm, something Mark shoves away. Who the hell was Lewis Hamilton and what was he doing touching _his_ Mark?

*          *          *

“You won’t believe this,” Jenson says, reading over the report he’d just filled out before dumping it on David’s desk. “Some woman just had her muffler stolen today. Who the hell goes around and steals mufflers?”

David picks up the file and reads over it before tossing it back on his desk.

“You don’t want to look at it?” Jenson asks. “It’s more exciting than trying to find the kid that toilet papered the school on the weekend.”

“I suppose,” David sighs looking up when a shadow falls over his desk and only to find Sebastian Vettel was standing there. “Sebi?” David teases.

“Who the hell is Lewis Hamilton?” he asks both of them demandingly. “And why is he suddenly back in town?”

Jenson nearly drops his coffee and David jumps to his feet. “Lewis is back? Where?”

“At Mark’s,” Sebastian huffs. “I get he and Mark worked together, but as far as I’m concerned, Lewis doesn’t work there anymore. _I_ work there now.”

“Mark is with Lewis?” Jenson says, eyes wide as David immediately looks for his jacket, nearly knocking over his chair in his effort to pull it off in a hurry.

“Yes, Mark sent me home and he seemed angry and then he and Lewis went into his apartment…”

“You left them alone?” Jenson snaps. “Well at least it we may have a murder to solve now DC, better than the muffler thief.”

David and Jenson were hurrying out of the station, not bothering to fill Sebastian in on anything, leaving him there to fume angrily.

“A murder to solve?” David scoffs, “If Lewis is dead when we get there we’ll be either arresting Mark or helping him bury the body. It’s not going to need any detective work.” They slide into the patrol car and turn on the sirens before speeding towards Mark’s workshop, tyres slipping on the damp roads.

*          *          *

The first thing Jenson does when they reach Mark’s is draw his gun out before running inside, David right behind him as they make their way up the narrow stairs to Mark’s apartment when the garages show no sign of anyone. “Stand back,” Jenson orders before using his foot to kick down the door, raising his gun as he yells, “Everyone freeze!”

Mark and Lewis jump a mile from the small table where they were both drinking coffee, eyes wide at the gun pointed at them. “What the fuck are you doing?” Mark says rising to his feet.

“Sorry,” Jenson says lowering the gun, “Kind of always wanted to do that. Don’t worry, safety was on.”

“ _Why_ are you here?” Mark asks.

Jenson looks at Lewis, “Heard our friend here was back, thought you might need restraining.”

“We’re drinking coffee, I haven’t bashed his head in,” Mark was clearly more than a little miffed. Eyes boring into Jenson before looking at David who was standing just inside the door like he might just bolt at any moment, his eyes fixed on Lewis.

Jenson looks at Lewis only to see the man was staring at David. Silence descends on the room and the awkwardness of it makes Jenson shuffle about. Lewis breaks it, “Hey man,” Lewis smiles at Jenson purposefully not saying anything to David.

“You’re back?” Jenson asks.

“Ran out of money, it’s not like Mark fired me,” Lewis gives Mark a hopeful smile.

“Yes I did,” Mark says, tightly rubbing his chest as the pain was filling it at the fact that he, Lewis and David were all in the one room. It was lucky he wasn’t the one holding a gun right now, not that he was sure who he would shoot.

“Well this is entirely the most uncomfortable situation,” Jenson mutters.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” David tells Lewis coldly.

“I like this place,” Lewis defends sharply.

“Please, no one _really_ likes it here,” David retorts.

“Why do people say that?” Mark cuts in. “I like it here.”

“So do I,” Jenson agrees, “Except when the most exciting case that comes across your desk is about some muffler thief it does kind of make you wish for a city where crimes are more exciting.” Jenson then holds out his gun to Mark, “Shoot Lewis, I’ll have something interesting to report on.”

“There was a muffler thief?” Mark asks, ears pricking up and an unsettling feeling come over him. “What make was the car?”

“I don’t remember,” Jenson shrugs. “And don’t change the subject.”

“It was a van,” David answers as Jenson puts away his gun.

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Mark mutters under his breath, anger surging through him with the realisation that Sebastian had supplied him with at least one stolen part for his business.

“Guys?” Lewis says looking at all of them and hesitant. He wanted to know they were okay, though he doubted that was the case. “We all good?”

“No,” David and Mark snap in unison.

“Kind of to be expected,” Jenson says giving him a sympathetic smile, “I mean if you’re going to sleep with one friend’s boyfriend, you should be better at keeping that a secret.”

“Shut up Jenson,” David shouts. “Why the hell can’t you keep your mouth shut?”

“I am not the bad guy here!” Jenson defends. “It’s not my fault you have two exes in the same room!” Both men glare at each other before David turns on his heel and walks out.There’s an awkward silence that lasts long after David has slammed the door closed, well had attempted to, it bounced right back open due to the broken lock from Jenson's entrance.  
  
It’s Lewis who breaks the silence. “So,” Lewis says rocking on he heels, “What’s been happening?”

“Mark is in love with some kid that doesn’t think he’s gay, but I’m pretty sure they’re sleeping together,” Jenson offers.

Mark’s eyes narrow at Jenson. “Jenson is in love with David, but is too piss scared to actually tell him.” Both of them scowl at each other.

“So, life is still complicated as shit then,” Lewis says, moving to sit back down, and picks up his coffee. “It’s like I never left.”

Jenson goes to make himself a coffee. “One of you will need to drive me back to the station.”

“Walk,” Mark tells him coldly.

Jenson looks at Lewis hopefully and the other man nods after a moment.

“So what’s your new boyfriend like?” Lewis asks.

“He’s a thief apparently and he’s not my boyfriend,” Mark says dropping head to the table.

Jenson sits down next to him, slamming his coffee cup down near Mark’s ear. “Liar. You’d marry him if you had your way.”

“Shut up and drink your coffee,” Mark snaps. He wanted both Jenson and Lewis to leave, and he needed to talk to Sebastian.

*          *          *

Sebastian pokes the fire, trying push the police file he’d swiped from David’s desk at the station deeper into the flames. He watches it burn, feeling scared, not of being caught by the cops, but of Mark finding out. The last thing he wanted was Mark to lose it at him and dump him. He hurriedly assures himself not that they were _together-together_ they were just…

“Sebastian.”

Sebastian jumps and turns around to see his father standing there, arms crossed and a stern look on his face. “Yeah?”

“Enough is enough,” John states and Sebastian is confused. “Next week, you come to work for me and not that Webber. You’ve surely paid off the windscreen and you’re not going to dodge your responsibilities any longer.”

Sebastian’s heart sinks. He’d been trying to delay this conversation.

“I don’t want to hear stories about pirates and UFOs and that fucking windscreen anymore,” John tells him harshly mentioning some of the more ridiculous excuses his son had tried to use to delay working for him.

“But…”

“I know for a fact his windscreen is fixed,” John continues not letting him speak. “You’re finished working for him, and now you will work for me. You’ve had two months to hang out and do whatever you wanted, and I let it slide because you didn’t want to be here. But that ends now.”

“But I like working for Mark!” Sebastian throws the poker for the fire onto the ground angrily.

“Family comes first Sebastian!” His father starts to raise his voice. “And you are spending far too much time with that man!”

That makes Sebastian freeze and his eyes widen slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you have more than one friend and you shouldn’t be spending all that time with a fucking queer man,” John states.

Sebastian’s heart was beating furiously and he was feeling sick.

“Spend some time with normal folk. Jaime or Nico…”

“Jaime fucking steals!” Sebastian shouts at him. “Mark isn’t a thief, so what if he likes other men!”

“It’s not right,” his father shouts back. “God damnit boy, I didn’t raise you not knowing what was right and wrong!”

“That’s right,” Sebastian hisses walking to him, “Just like I know that you’ve been fucking around for years behind mum’s back isn’t right. Mark is a much better man than you’ll ever be!”

John grabs the front of Sebastian’s shirt and jerks his son to him, eyes glinting with an anger that Sebastian had never seen before. “You listen to me, I love your mother and if you ever breathe a word to her…”

“Like she doesn’t know,” Sebastian whispers back remembering all those times he had found his mother crying when he was younger. It had taken him a while to work it out, to put it together - seeing his father with so many different women at the office, how he had a new secretary every few months. He was not going to work in that building for his father and have to witness any of that, _ever_.

John shoves Sebastian away from him, sending his son sprawling to the floor. “If you want to keep that car you love so much, you’ll be at my office at 8am on Monday.”

Sebastian watches as his father walks to the door.

His father turns back, “And you will stay away from Mark Webber, that is an order.” The door slams closed, echoing in the room and Sebastian tries to hold back his tears as he tries to work out how to fix this. He gets to his feet, wiping his eyes roughly as he turns to grab the fire poker and walks out of the room.

“Sebi,” his mother says spying him, “It’s nearly dinner.”

“I’m not hungry,” he says with no emotion in his voice as he heads to the front door.

“Sebi?”

But Sebastian just goes outside, using the sleeve of his sweater to wipe his nose that was running. He jogs down the front steps going straight to his car parked in the drive. With all his strength, he lifts the stoker above his head and brings it down on the windscreen of his car. It shatters on impact, and breathing hard, Sebastian keeps swinging. He brings it down onto the bonnet of the car, again and again, as the alarm goes off. He smashes every window, damages every panel, every headlight until the stoker is caught mid-swing.

His father was there, red in the face as he roars, “What the hell are you doing?”

Sebastian lets go, stumbling away. “Take back the car,” he shouts, “It’s broken!”

“Sebastian!” His mother looks completely shocked as she stands on the front porch.

“You are grounded!”

“I am not fifteen!” Sebastian screams at his father.

“Sebi stop it!” his mother begs. “What’s wrong with you?” She goes to him, grabbing him, but Sebastian was just staring at his father in fury.

“You are never going to see Mark Webber again,” his father promises, his grip on the stoker looking as if he might swing it at his son at any moment. “You hang around with people like that and you become some angry and violent person. You are not leaving this house!”

“John!” Marina says alarmed as Sebastian crumples in the drive way sobbing, his mother falling down next to him.

“There is no debate, you live in my house you follow my rules.” John walks back to the house, “Get up both of you, dinner is on the table.”

His mother hugs Sebastian’s head to her chest, stroking his hair till he just hiccups. She kisses the top of his head and Sebastian pulls her closer feeling like he had someone on his side as she murmurs to him in a soothing voice.

“What’s going on Seb?” she asks quietly.

Sebastian looks up at his mother, her face blurred behind unshed tears. “What’s wrong with being gay?”

“It’s just… not right,” his mother says. “People like that aren’t made right. I know your friend Mark is one of those people…”

Sebastian begins to sob at his mother’s words. She might not shout them like his father, but she thought the same thing.

“I don’t think he’s a bad person Sebi,” Marina continues. “But your father is right. You shouldn’t spend all your time with him. People are starting to talk.” She swallows, “Someone made a comment at work today, that’s what this is about.” She presses a kiss to his temple. “Its okay, I’ll fix this for you. Your father was just shocked that someone insinuated you were gay…”

Sebastian can see his mother was silently asking for confirmation and he forces out the words, “I’m not gay…”

Marina lets out her breath and smiles. “I know that. I’ll talk to your father,” she promises, kissing him again. Getting to her feet, Sebastian joins her. “I’ll buy you a new car too.”

Sebastian walks to the house, shaking his mother off him. “I don’t want a new car,” he whispers, walking inside and he goes straight to his bedroom. He didn’t want to see anyone.

*          *          *


	13. Chapter 13

Mark was trying to concentrate on what he was doing, but he found himself looking at the clock every few minutes. Sebastian was late, but considering it was now ten, it was probably more likely that he was just not going to show up. He should probably be pissed, but for some reason Mark had an unsettling feeling in his stomach that something had happened. Trying to call Sebastian’s phone had just gone straight to message bank and not easing any of his doubt.

A BMW pulls up in the car park and Mark turns around, surprised to see Sebastian get out of it. Throwing down his tools he walks towards him, “Where’s your car?”

“Didn’t start,” Sebastian answers, eyes not quite meeting Mark’s.

“You want me to take a look?” Mark asks, wondering if car trouble was what had kept Sebastian away.

“No,” Sebastian answers, crossing his arms, “I’m borrowing Mum’s.”

There was an odd emptiness in Sebastian’s eyes, and that feeling Mark had was getting worse. Something had definitely happened. Bringing up the muffler right now didn’t seem important. “Hey,” Mark says gently walking up to him. “You okay?” He goes to touch Sebastian’s face but his hand is whacked away.

“Why do you _always_ have to touch me in public?” Sebastian asks fury suddenly exploding out of him taking Mark by surprise.

“Sebi?”

“And I told you to _not_ call me that,” Sebastian continues to rage.

“Sorry?” Mark stares after him confused as Sebastian goes to the office. Mark follows watching as Sebastian throws paper around.

“Where’s my laptop?” he demands.

“Upstairs,” Mark answers, “I was looking at some of the work you were doing…” Actually he had taken the laptop last night to see if Sebastian was sourcing him stolen parts, but what he had found was far from that. Sebastian had been doing his book keeping, upgraded his accounting package, which was going to be a bitch to relearn, but he had also done up some business plans. He had seen the new supplier list Sebastian had obviously spent a lot of time putting together. And despite the fact that Sebastian was cutting off deals he had with good friends, he was actually saving him money, quite a lot actually. Sebastian had earned back the five thousand he’d lost with John Vettel’s landscaping project.

Sebastian doesn’t want to hear it though because he just pushes passed him and races up the stairs to Mark’s apartment. Mark follows. “Sebastian can we have a conversation like adults?” he asks, closing the door behind them.

“I’m quitting,” Sebastian tells him, jerking out the power lead for his laptop.

“Okay…” Mark was really confused. “If that’s what you want…”

“It’s not about what _I_ want,” Sebastian snaps at him as he shoves his laptop away in its bag. “It’s about the right thing.”

“And staying here is the wrong thing?” Mark queries as Sebastian stands in front of him, clutching his laptop bag tightly.

“Being with you is the wrong thing,” Sebastian corrects. “Move,” he orders.

But Mark doesn’t budge from the door. “I know you’re confused about things Seb, about us, but there isn’t anything wrong with us, nothing wrong with being gay.”

Sebastian blinks away tears angrily. “It’s not like what is going on here is _something_ Mark.”

“Did your Dad say something to you, your friends?” Mark asks. “I can talk to your parents…”

“No!” Sebastian shouts. “Stay away from them, stay away from me!” He leans around Mark to pull open the door but Mark won’t budge and Sebastian’s anger just grows. “You can’t keep me here!”

“Hey,” Mark grabs him, a hand sliding into his hair to settle on the back of his head. “This _is_ something to me, you mean _something_ to me…” Mark then kisses his mouth and Sebastian goes still. The laptop in his grip is dropped, cluttering on the floor as he kisses Mark back frantically.

Mark can feel it bubbling up inside him, things he shouldn’t say, tries hard to cling to the promises he made himself to not rush things, to not get so caught up in Sebastian. He knows he needs to stop now before he crossed over lines he couldn’t hide back behind. But he can feel the panic in Sebastian, feel that he was losing him even though right in this very moment they were kissing furiously and Sebastian’s fingers digging into his shoulders, clutching at him, it still felt like this was about to all vanish.

“I want you,” Mark gasps into his mouth, trying to keep Sebastian against him, but the younger man tears his head back before Mark continues, “I want this… I love you…” The words hang around them, Sebastian stilling as a part of Mark was shocked that he actually went that far. He wanted to take it all back at the same time as desperately hoping it would be enough, that Seb would stay. He stares pleadingly at the younger man whose eyes were full of surprise and confusion.

Sebastian blinks then, moment broken before he pushes Mark away roughly. “Stop it!” He bends over to pick up his laptop. “I don’t care how you feel. I don’t love you! And I am _not_ gay!”

“Stop lying to yourself,” Mark orders.

“I am going home. I don’t want to see you. I’m going to work for my father and I’m going to marry some girl. You are not in that picture. So stay out of it,” Sebastian retaliates before moving to jerk open the door now that Mark was no longer blocking it.

Mark follows him. “You are making a mistake Sebastian,” he warns, keeping up with Sebastian’s quick pace. “I know you don’t want to do those things and I know you love me, at least feel _something_.”

Sebastian whirls around in the garage. “I do not love you!” he screams.

“Then why did you do all that work for me? Why are you crying right now?”

“I did that work because you forced me!”

“Bullshit,” Mark yells back now. “You’re scared; I can be there for you. I can help you through this if you let me…”

“You can help me by staying away,” Sebastian finishes loudly and he then flees towards his car.

“Sebastian!” Mark shouts after him. He stands in the car park watching as Sebastian drives off. “Fucking hell!” Angrily he kicks at the loose stones before he storms back into the garage, unable to stop the tears that flood his eyes. “Shit.”

*          *          *

“Are you sure you want to go?” David asks as Mark packs up his truck.

“This feels like you’re running,” Jenson adds.

“I haven’t gone in weeks,” Mark protests, “I’ve been busy and distracted and now that I have some time…”

“Now that you don’t have Seb,” David states.

Mark stiffens as he throws a backpack on the front seat and Jenson puts drums of fuel in back the back for his truck and generators. “Lewis is going to look after the workshop,” Mark mutters.

“Gave him his job back then?” David looks surprised.

Shrugging, Mark looks over to where Lewis was busily working. “He keeps out of the way, and he needs the money.” There had been a time he would have killed Lewis for what had happened, but now he could barely find the energy to care. He had moved on and he felt far more pain right now than over David’s betrayal which felt very much in the past.

“How long you going up there for this time?”

“A few weeks, till I run out of food,” Mark answers David, seeing how much concern was in his friend’s eyes.

“Seb might come around,” Jenson tries to be encouraging.

“I don’t know, and I’m not going to hold my breath. If Seb wants to talk he knows where I am,” Mark slides into his truck.

“Actually, Seb won’t know where you are,” Jenson says.

“And if either of you tell him, there really will be an exciting case for the local cops to solve in Glenwood; a double homicide,” Mark warns.

Jenson and David step back and let Mark drive off. They walk up the road towards the diner; quietly discussing the sudden dissolving of their friend’s relationship though Mark certainly refused to call it that. “Isn’t this Sebastian’s car?” Jenson asks looking at the BMW parked out front, “Hard to tell with it not being on the sidewalk.”

David snorts. “I haven’t seen him drive his Hummer lately actually…”

Jenson pulls out his gun and then starts shooting his tyres.

“What the fuck?” David curses jumping back. “Are you crazy?”

“Mark will appreciate it,” Jenson grins as Sebastian comes running out with Nico and Jaime.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sebastian asks shocked.

“Bank robber,” Jenson states calmly, “Ran right past, tried to shoot him; missed. Sorry about the tyres, the police department will reimburse you.”

“Seriously?” Sebastian asks, not doing anything to hide how upset he looks; he was fighting back tears.

David looks at him sympathetically but Jenson calls him to the diner where he was holding the door open.

“What do you want to do?” Nico asks, staring mournfully at the tyres. “You’re mum is going to kill you. You’re not meant to be using the car…”

Sebastian wipes at his face roughly and he pulls himself together. “I need four new tyres,” he states. He eyes zero down the road towards Mark’s workshop where there was a police car parked out front. “And I know exactly where to get them.” Sebastian gets into the car, “Get in.”

*          *          *

After lunch, David and Jenson walked up the road, Jenson moaning about how full he was. “Uh Jens…” David says coming to a stop. “When you parked the car, did you park it with wheels?”

“Huh?” Jenson stops, his face going slack in disbelief. “He stole my tyres?”

David sits in the car and radios back to the station to call in for assistance. A few minutes later he says, “Come again?”

“I can’t send any patrol cars to you right now Officer Coulthard, because _none_ of the cars have tyres…”

*          *          *

Sebastian sits in the interview room, his fingers drawing random patterns on the surface of the table in front of him as he looks towards the door. His father and his lawyer Ron Dennis were arguing with the cops. He didn’t doubt for one moment, despite the handcuffs on him right now, that he would walk out of here before the night was over. Again.

The door opens and the Sheriff Whiting was standing there. “Mr. Vettel,” he says sternly.

Sebastian gets to his feet and walks over. Looking around he notes that David and Jenson were having a heated conversation with someone who Sebastian could only hope was a superior. He can barely hide the smile when he sees Jenson slam his gun and badge down before the Sheriff clears his throat to draw his attention, prompting his father whacks him across the back of his head.

“Listen here son,” the Sheriff Whiting says deadly serious, “You are not a teenager who can get away with pranks anymore. I don’t care what games you’re playing with my officers, but what you did was a serious offence!”

“So, when’s the court date?” He already knew there would be none, and it’s only confirmed when the Sheriff’s grey eyes flash with anger.

“Your father here has offered in exchange for dropping the charges to pay for new tyres along with donating two new squad cars,” the Sheriff answers.

“We agreed on one,” John Vettel snaps.

“For your son’s smart ass attitude, it’s now two,” the Sheriff returns sharply. “Uncuff him,” he orders an officer standing next to him. “Get him out of my sight.”

Sebastian rubs his wrists as he follows his father out of the station to the car. His father won’t look at him, or speak to him. He just gets in the car and Sebastian follows. His father calls out goodnight to Ron Dennis and Sebastian can’t keep the comment in, “How much of Ron’s retainer did I use? Any left for me to attempt to steal the stations arm’s supply?”

His father slams the brakes on the car then and Sebastian is thrown forward roughly, head smacking the windscreen because he hadn’t put on his seatbelt. He sits up, rubbing his forehead as his father looks at him murderously. “Do you have any idea how much grief you are causing me? How much money it’s costing me to constantly clean up after you?”

“Well stop,” Sebastian shouts at him. “I didn’t ask you once to clean up after me!”

“Put your damn seatbelt on,” his father orders as he starts driving again. After a moment he speaks again, calmer, “I’m going to leave your mother Sebastian.”

“What?” Sebastian reels at the news.

“If you don’t clean up your act, I’m going to leave your mother,” his father clarifies.

Sebastian sits there in disbelief. “You’re blackmailing me?”

“You won’t pull your life together when I yell at you, your mother refuses to yell at you or cooperate with the rules I set, so I have to try something else.”

Sebastian doesn’t know if his father was bluffing, but he knew that John Vettel rarely bluffed and he wasn’t sure he wanted to test him on this. His mother would be crushed if he left; she worked so hard to present them as a perfect family, divorce was something she shunned though loved to gossip about. Sebastian swallows hard. “I haven’t seen Mark,” he whispers, “I’m staying away. I’m trying harder.”

“You will come to work tomorrow,” his father says firmly. It was the one thing he hadn’t been able to get Sebastian to do.

After a moment Sebastian nods. “If you let me go out…”

“No Mark Webber,” his father repeats his earlier condition.

“Of course,” Sebastian says resting his arm on the edge of the window, forehead against his hand. The mention of Mark makes him want to cry, he hadn’t seen or spoken to him in a week now and it was agony. And anytime he did dare think of Mark, all he heard was Mark telling him he loved him; and he’d walked away.

“Then, I think we have an understanding,” John smiles at his son.

“Yeah…” Sebastian echoes, staring out the window contemplating opening the car door and just jumping. But he doesn’t, he couldn’t do anything now; he’s trapped and he feels like he can’t breathe.

*          *          *


	14. Chapter 14

David hadn’t been deliberately avoiding the conversation with Jenson; he had simply wanted to give Jenson some space since everything that had happened. His partner had been furious at his suspension, storming out of the station after handing over his gun and badge, and refusing to take his calls. He waited three days before deciding that was enough time for Jenson to cool down so they could talk.

Walking into Jenson’s house, after finding the front door unlocked and receiving no response when calling out for his partner, he finds Jenson passed out face down on his couch. Jenson had clearly found the strength to drag himself home after the pub rather than crashing at his place, or had scored a lift. There was a flicker of hurt in his chest that Jenson hadn’t come to him, seemed to be avoiding him, David didn’t understand; this wasn’t his fault.

“Jenson?” He leans down and shakes him roughly. There’s a grunt in response before Jenson tries to roll over, hands attempting to swat him away. “Get up,” David orders. “Its past noon and we need to talk.”

“Fuck off.”

“Would love to but after we talk,” David states firmly before seating himself on Jenson’s coffee table prepared to wait till his partner pulled himself together so they could discuss his behaviour.

There’s a long silence and David picks up a magazine next to him to flick through, it was some celebrity trash magazine he knows Jenson loves to secretly read.

“You’re still here aren’t you?” Jenson’s groaned murmur is still mostly muffled by couch cushions.

“Yes. You want me to dig up some pain killers for your headache?” David’s lips flickers into a smile when he sees that Jenson had completed all the celebrity puzzles and games. He wondered if he entered the competitions as well.

“It’s my mum’s.”

David looks up to see Jenson had turned his head to look at him, eyes open. “Sure, it is.” He grins at him and is relieved when there’s a hint of smile returned. “Painkillers?”

Jenson shakes his head. “Not that bad. I didn’t get wasted. Just a few drinks…”

David watches as Jenson sits himself up, hands rubbing at his face to wake himself up. He notes that his partner still looked tired, and well… a bit shit. “You know that it’s only a suspension right? Not the end of the world.”

“God,” Jenson groans, head falling to the back of the couch, “Can we not talk about this?”

“Come on Jenson,” David sighs putting the magazine down and staring hard at his friend. “What’s going on? The last few weeks you’ve been a little… edgy. And hell you _shot Sebastian’s tyres_.”

Jenson’s head snaps up, eyes narrowing. “He deserved it. Fucking little shit.”

“You’re being harsh.”

“I’m not!”

“And to be honest,” David tries hard to read Jenson but he seemed to be closing up on him, “I don’t think this is about Sebastian.”

The closed look vanishes and suddenly Jenson explodes, his sleepy state vanishing in an instant. “You want to know what this about? You have no damn clue about _anything_. I’ve had to stand around and watch my friends completely fuck around with their love lives. You’re off being in love with Mark seemingly unable to get out of the past and then there’s Mark. Fucking hell. Him and Sebastian. What the hell is wrong with that kid? He has Mark right there, ready to offer him something real and you know what he does? _He walks away!_ ”

David’s eyes widen a little in surprise. But he doesn’t get a chance to cut in because Jenson just ploughs on.

“I don’t get it. How can he be so stupid and so _blind_? Why can’t he just open his eyes and see that Mark is _right there_ , wants to love him. Next time I see him, I’m going to shot him, the moment I get my gun back.”

David moves to sit next to him, hand falling on his arm, not sure really what to say. “You’re that angry about it all? Mark and Sebastian isn’t your business. They’ll either sort it out or not. And don’t worry about me Jens, I can deal with my own issues. None of these problems are yours.”

Jenson buries his face in his hands once more, hunched over and for a moment David wonders if he was crying. But when places his hand on Jenson’s back, he can feel the deep breaths the other man was making before Jenson suddenly stands up, and faces him.

“You’re right. I’m going to let it go.” The smile Jenson gives David makes his chest ache because it looks so sad and defeated.

“Please tell me what’s wrong?” David murmurs, eyes pleading with him because everything that Jenson had just ranted about was everyone else’s problems but his own. Jenson shakes his head and his eyes slide away to stare past him, still holding that pained look. “I’m really bad at guessing these kinds of things Jens. Come on…”

His coaxing draws a loud snort from his partner. “No shit Sherlock.”

David though doesn’t react, just continues to wait for Jenson to tell him something. He felt uneasy, he didn’t know that Jenson kept things from him; he wasn’t comfortable with that thought at all.

With a loud sigh, Jenson’s confession comes out, “I have my own Sebastian okay.”

David blinks. “You’re in love with some guy that won’t come out of the closet?”

“No,” Jenson was doing his best to not look annoyed but he fails because David can see his irritation. “I meant, more in the being blind to what’s right in front of them way. And I see them nearly everyday, have to watch them mope about and not move on…”

David stills then, feeling like things might be clicking to in place and he has no idea what to think. “You’re in love with Mark…” That made sense, especially why he was so angry at Seb.

The silence that fills the room while Jenson’s eyes stare at him in disbelief is suddenly punctuated with a giggle. “What?” David queries as Jenson’s giggles dissolve into hysterical laughter. In fact Jenson was now doubled over holding his stomach he was laughing so hard. “Okay stop that. It made sense in my head!”

“I…can’t…” Jenson holds his hand up to get him to stop talking as he tries to get his laughter under control. And when he has caught his breath enough he splutters, “You think it’s Mark?” There’s another round of howled laughing and sulking David slumps back into the couch.

“I told you, I’m bad at this,” he mutters watching as Jenson heads to the kitchen wiping at his eyes, _still_ choking on laughter. He returns a few minutes later with two glasses of water. When one is offered to him he takes it as Jenson grins at him.

“I can’t wait to tell Mark this…”

David’s cheeks warm up. “Please don’t.” He’s then forced to watch Jenson try and drink his water between intermittent bursts of continued laughter. “Okay if you don’t shut up I’m going to leave.” Never again was he going to offer his thoughts on things like this again.

Jenson sobers up a little, and David can see he looked a little brighter now at least, even if it was at his expense. “Don’t be like that. Sorry, it’s just you’re so…” He shakes his head and then grins. “Don’t worry, I still love you even if you're being a complete imbecile.”

“Why thank you,” David responds sarcastically.

“And I’ll be okay,” Jenson adds seriously. “Promise. Don’t worry about me. Not that you have to right now, since I no longer have a gun.”

“Just talk to me if you need to. Okay?” David presses.

“Of course.” Jenson flops back down next to him, all smiles. “You don’t give me a choice anyway.” He elbows David before changing the subject. “You want to watch a movie? I stopped by the rental store on the way home last night.”

"Sure." Though once Jenson has laid out all the choices he regrets to agreeing so readily. “You only got chick flicks?”

“There’s nothing wrong with chick flicks,” Jenson defends huffily snatching up one of his choosing when David hasn’t picked.

David groans telling his partner he was going to need a beer if he was going to be forced to watch ‘The Titanic’.

*          *          *

“I can’t believe I’m stuck here,” Jenson moans throwing his head back. “I’m going to kill Sebastian.” Two weeks into his suspension for firing a gun unnecessarily in public and he was going out of his head.

“Can’t do that,” Lewis says sitting next to him, “You don’t have a gun anymore.”

Jenson glares at him. “Why are you here?”

“Because I don’t like eating lunch alone and I know you have nothing to do right now…”

Jenson was not impressed at Lewis’s unexpected visit, but he was bored, so he’d let the man in. There had been a time when the four of them, Mark, Jenson, David and he had been very good friends. Lewis and David had ensured that that was fractured, but it was Lewis who became the outcast. Jenson wasn’t sure Lewis would ever get back in, even if he had been trying hard since his return.

“What did you do the last year?” Jenson asks curiously. Lewis seemed to be against talking about what he’d been up to since he had skipped town to avoid a raging Webber a year ago. And again, Lewis shrugs, clearly not keen to share.

“You come back for David?”

Lewis snorts. “Keep your pants on man, I get he’s yours now.” Lewis smiles at him, “Even if David hasn’t realised it yet.”

Jenson becomes hopeful. “You think he’ll come around eventually?”

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” Lewis suggests.

“I ask him out all the time! He says yes all the time! He doesn’t have a fucking clue,” Jenson fumes.

“Be more obvious,” Lewis states. “Strip naked and tell him you want him.”

“Is that how you got him?” Jenson asks knowing that wasn’t necessary but unable to help himself.

“I met someone else,” Lewis changes the subject, and he knows that got Jenson’s attention but he doesn’t say anything else. “By the way, Sebastian showed up at the garage this morning…”

Jenson was struggling to keep up with the hopping topics. “Seriously?”

“Yep. Asked for Mark and then looked like someone ran over his puppy when I said he left town for a while. He just went and sat in the office for like an hour. That guy is so miserable,” Lewis continues.

“He should be miserable,” Jenson nods happy. “He deserves it. Mark just wanted to help him out and he’s too afraid to stand up and tell his parents he’s gay.”

“Dude, that’s not easy,” Lewis says kicking his leg. “Give the guy a break.”

“Yeah, well someone needs to give Mark a break. He deserves to be happy too and Sebastian strung him along until it just got a little too serious.” Sebastian was not Jenson’s favourite person right about now. “He can suffer.”

“You’re being cruel,” Lewis says. “I think he just needs a friend.”

“And he had one. Mark.”

“And who does he have now?” Lewis asks.

“Sebastian has plenty of friends, stop feeling sorry for the kid. He’ll be fine with his rich parents and his rich friends.” Jenson gets to his feet. “Isn’t your lunch break over now?”

Lewis gets to his feet taking the not very subtle hint. “You know, I missed you. Just for the record.”

Jenson stares at him, his annoyance fading when he sees that Lewis looked genuine. “You really fucked things all up…”

“I know,” Lewis nods. “And I’m sorry. I want to fix it.”

“Good luck with that,” Jenson sighs as Lewis walks out. And as much as he wanted the other man gone now that he was alone he was bored once more. God, it was hours till David finished work. He needs to find himself a hobby or something if he has another six weeks of this.

*          *          *

Sebastian looks up from his plate of untouched food to find that Nico and Jaime were staring at him concerned, both their meals had vanished. He stabs a chip with a fork and eats it, forcing himself to swallow it, but it doesn’t go far to ease the minds of his friends. They’d gone out dinner to a steakhouse and he hadn’t wanted to come, but he was dragged out by them, with his mother pushing from behind.

“Seb,” Nico says, “Let’s talk about this.”

“What?” he asks, smacking his untouched steak with the back of his fork.

“We’re all trying to pretend here to not know the same thing, and that would be fine if you didn’t look so fucking miserable all the time,” Nico continues.

“You don’t eat anymore,” Jaime adds. “And you go to work for you Dad, but you’re not working. You just sit there and do nothing.”

“I sharpen pencils,” Sebastian mutters. He had assigned himself that chore; he went around all day asking people for their pencils. His father had yet to comment, obviously pleased enough for the moment that he showed up. He was being paid three times more to do that than what Mark would have paid for him. At least his father wasn’t getting his services for the money he was paying.

“You’re in love with him,” Nico blurts out. “Nothing has ever been more obvious.”

Sebastian stares at his friends, both staring back at him seriously looking ready to argue if he denied it. He looks back at his plate and stabs another chip. He didn’t want to discuss Mark. Mark who had left and Mark who didn’t even say goodbye. And suddenly he thinks he’s going to cry. “Fuck you both,” he says to them as he pushes his chair back and walks out. Stumbling outside he gasps for air trying to calm himself down.

“Is that you disagreeing?” Nico asks appearing next to him as he walks to the car. “Because, I don’t care if you’re gay. Whatever, just say it if you are. Because I have no idea what’s going on Seb, except you walk around like you might throw yourself in front of a damn bus at any moment.”

Sebastian stops at his mother’s car, looking at his friend, not sure what to make of Nico’s words. “You wouldn’t care if I was gay?” he asks disbelievingly.

“Of course not!” Nico replies. “Just don’t kiss me and we’ll be fine. But I get the feeling I don’t need to worry about that, it’s Mark you want right?”

Sebastian stands there gripping the car keys tightly. Nico wouldn’t care, the words roll in his head as he watches Jaime jog to catch up with them. He thinks of his parents, and knows saying anything to anyone ran the risk of getting back to them. “Get in the damn car,” Sebastian orders jerking open the door not answering any of Nico’s questions.

“Seb?” Nico coaxes as Sebastian starts the car.

“Bring this up again, say his name again and I’ll fucking hit you so hard you’ll need to find a good dentist,” Sebastian warns angrily. The car ride back is filled with stony silence, none of them speaking, except Jaime who piped up once to ask what he missed only to have Nico stare him down and back into silence.

At home he slams the car door and walks towards the house, not bothering to say goodbye to Nico or Jaime. Nico does shout out after him that if he needed the bus route it passed his house every morning at eight. And then Jaime and Nico had left, tyres squealing as they went. Sebastian goes to find his mum who was watching TV by herself.

“Thanks for the car,” he murmurs dropping the keys into her lap and kissing her cheek.

Before he can pull back she grabs the front of his shirt. “Did you eat?”

“Of course,” Sebastian replies with a forced smile.

“Sebi,” she murmurs staring at him concerned, “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

Seeing how worried she was he kisses her cheek hard again. “I’m fine mum, promise.” She doesn’t look like she bought it, so he adds, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replies before she lets him go then giving him a sad smile.

Sebastian makes his way upstairs to his room. He passes his father, who grabs his arm when he walks past and Sebastian stops but he stares past him, not about to look at him. “Snap out of it,” his father demands. “You act like a zombie filling orders.”

Sebastian shifts his gaze to his father. “I’m doing what you want; there was no condition to smile about it.”

His father stares at him, looking slightly taken aback. “Sebastian,” he starts softly looking upset.

“Stay away from me,” Sebastian says pulling his arm free and going to his room. He then throws himself face down onto his bed and waits for sleep. Four weeks without Mark and he didn’t think he could do another. He was going to break.

*          *          *

“What do you think?” Jenson asks as David bites into the cake. He was surrounded in cakes; Jenson was trying to throw his excess energy into baking. David starts coughing, going to the sink to spit it out. “So, not baking,” he concludes. It was the same reaction for all the cakes. He didn't understand how he couldn't bake cakes when he _loved_ cake.

“How can they all taste this horrible?” David asks amazed. “Can you not follow a recipe?” David starts looking at the ingredients spread over the bench. And then he lets out a groan. “What’s in here Jens?” He was holding up a large container.

Jenson was filling the sink to start the dishes. He looks up, “Sugar.”

“Its salt you idiot,” David laughs. “Did you even taste as you go?”

“Oh,” Jenson replies as he begins to realise what that meant. “Whatever. I’m not baking anymore cakes. I’m thinking next up I’m going to try sewing.”

“You are picking the most gay hobbies,” David grins falling to lean on the bench next to him, passing him things to wash up one by one.

“My mum is suggesting them,” Jenson responds. “She still doesn’t get that being gay doesn’t mean I necessarily like girl activities. But what the hell right? I’ve got nothing else to do; I might be good at something I might not normally try.”

“Good luck with that,” David just shakes his head.

“It’s really raining tonight,” Jenson comments looking out the window at the rain that was whipping wildly around.

“I hope Mark’s okay,” David says moving closer to Jenson to look out the small kitchen window. “You think he has a roof on that thing yet?”

“Well if he doesn’t, he’ll be in for a wet night,” Jenson says becoming aware of how close David was now and he can’t help but shiver. David’s hands fall to his shoulders then, squeezing gently before they began massaging.

After a few minutes, Jenson drops the dish brush and closes his eyes, enjoying David’s hands that were now running through his hair and massaging his head. “I know what you can do as a hobby if you get suspended for two months…”

David chuckles and kisses his ear impulsively before stepping away and leaving his hair in disarray.

“Don’t stop,” Jenson begs, turning around to face David their faces inches apart.

“I’ll have to start charging….”

“Fine, as long as there is a happy ending…”

David’s smile widens. “I’m expensive…”

“How much?”

Banging on the front door makes David step back hurriedly. “Is that someone at your front door? In this weather?”

Jenson silently curses and hurries to answer it, ready to deck whoever was stupid enough to brave the weather and who had just ruined what might have been his perfect moment to make a move on David. “It has to be you!” Jenson says when he opens the door to see Sebastian standing there. Though his anger quickly fades when he realises that Sebastian is drenched to the bone with lips tinged blue from the cold.

“P-please,” he stammers teeth chattering furiously. “T-tell me w-where M-mark is?”

*          *          *


	15. Chapter 15

Seeing Jenson standing there, the man who he had no doubt wanted to shoot him for having him suspending, Sebastian was beginning to see a flaw in his plan. The only comfort he had right now was that Jenson didn’t look like he wanted to punch but instead seemed in disbelief he’d trekked across town in a storm.

“Did you walk here?” Jenson asks shocked. “In the rain?”

He tries to answer, but his lips have trouble forming a response. Sebastian stumbles when he’s dragged inside. “I-I n-need M-Mark,” he eventually chokes out.

“What you need is a hot shower first,” Jenson states and then starts fussing with pulling off Sebastian’s jacket, something that Sebastian doesn’t fight. “Do you want to get pneumonia?”

“Seb,” David appears looking alarmed. “What are you doing here? Being stripped naked by Jenson?”

Sebastian starts stammering once more but Jenson interrupts because it was going to take too long for Seb to get it out. “He wants to see Mark.” Jenson pulls Sebastian by the hand to the bathroom. “But first he has a shower because his mother clearly didn’t teach him that being wet and cold will make him sick.”

“I’ll get him something warm from your closet,” David says hurrying off, ignoring the list of clothes Jenson shouts after him that Sebastian wasn’t allowed to wear.

Sebastian has gone so numb from the cold he can barely get his fingers to cooperate and remove his remaining clothes, so he allows Jenson to continue stripping him down to his underwear before he was pushed into the shower while Jenson continued his lecture about being a dickhead for being in the rain. But he doesn’t pay much attention because it hurts; the water hitting his ice cold skin makes him cry out from the sharp pins and needles it causes in his arms and legs.

Jenson leaves him to shower and get dressed and Sebastian focuses on warming himself up, trying not to think about why he was here, why he thought any of this might be a good idea. He focuses on each task completely. Shower. Dry. Get dressed. He puts on all the clothes David had gotten, still shivering despite the shower. He places all his own wet clothes in the bath for the moment before wasting time to mop up the water on Jenson’s bathroom floor. It’s only then does he open the bathroom door before venturing hesitantly out and back to the living room where David and Jenson were having a hushed conversation. They fall quiet when they realise he is there.

“Sit,” Jenson orders and obediently Sebastian does. David drapes a blanket around him, with Jenson passing him coffee before both move to sit opposite him, staring intently. It was like flashing back to being interrogated after his drink driving incident and it has him shifting uncomfortably and chewing his lower lip nervously.

“Mark will be back soon,” David breaks the silence.

“He’s coming back?” Sebastian hadn’t been expecting that. “Lewis said he left…” He trails off, voice flat and tired, but there was a spark hope now in his eyes.

“He heads up into the mountains every now and then,” David explains. “I think he left to give you some space.”

Sebastian squeezes the coffee cup tightly. “I want to talk to him…”

“You’ll have to wait,” David states and it was like someone was squeezing Sebastian’s chest, because he couldn’t wait anymore. He couldn’t do any of this anymore.

“Why can’t you take me to see him?” Sebastian asks upset. “If you know where he is…”

“I don’t think you should be rushing to see Mark,” Jenson says much harsher than he intended and it has Sebastian’s eyes flood with regret and pain. “You going to tell him you’re gay? That you love him? Ready to tell the world?”

“No,” Sebastian whispers not sure if his response was to all those questions or just some. He hadn’t been thinking about what he’d say, he’d just been focusing on what he wanted – to see Mark. He figured the rest would fall into place when he got that. Maybe.

“Then you shouldn’t be rushing back to Mark,” Jenson continues. “That’s not fair to him.”

Sebastian knows Jenson’s right, despite the fact that other man was taking delight from denying him what he wanted, but Jenson didn’t understand. He needed someone and his tears threaten to drop into his coffee. “I-I m-miss him,” he eventually forces out.

“I’ll drive you home,” David tells him after a moment of Jenson refusing to budge in his position, it leads to Sebastian’s tears falling faster since no one was going to help him.

He holds his wet clothes in a bundle in his arms as David guides him out to his car a few minutes later, while Jenson called cheerily from the front porch of his house. David opens the car door for him before pushing him in gently, before running around to the driver’s side trying to escape the heavy rain as fast as possible.

“Jenson is pissed at you,” David says as he starts the car.

Sebastian doesn’t say anything but when David squeezes his arm reassuringly, there’s a flicker of hope in his chest. “Are you taking me home?”

“You wanted to see Mark right?”

Sebastian nods his head furiously as his heart starts to beat quicker.

“I’ll take you to see Mark then,” David smiles. “Put your seatbelt on,” he orders.

Sebastian does as he’s told, before reaching down to pull up his socks that were miles too big and now damp from walking over Jenson’s wet lawn. “Where are we going?”

“Mark’s got a house further up the mountains,” David answers. “Well, more like he’s building a house.” After flashing Sebastian a warm smile, David continues, “His father started building it for his mother, but she died before it was ever completed. It was left for years before Mark decided to finish it off. His dad helped the few months before he died as well…”

“Mark liked his Dad?” Sebastian hugs his knees feeling cold once more. “I thought he got beaten up…”

“They had their issues,” David assures him. “But if you ask Mark now, he won’t deny that Wilson Webber was his father.”

“Wilson…” The name rang a bell vaguely in his head but Sebastian couldn’t place it.

“Mark has thrown a lot of money and effort into this house, but sometimes I think it’s one of those projects that will never be finished,” David sighs.

“Have you seen it?”

“Yeah. Saw the plans, it’ll be spectacular if it gets done. Mind you, last time I saw it in person was over a year ago now and the thing still didn’t even have a roof. It took a lot to just get the foundations in. The property is steep, and the house is actually set half on a cliff, right in the middle of the trees…” David looks across at Sebastian and smiles at him. “It’s a very clever design.”

“Mark design it?” Sebastian can’t reign in his curiosity. He had no idea Mark had a house. Mark hadn’t mentioned it once when he had bitched about Mark’s apartment.

“His mother did,” David answers. “I think that’s why he wants to finish it. It was her dream, and it sort of became his.”

“That’s why he takes on the extra landscaping jobs…” Sebastian echoes his thoughts aloud.

“Yeah, the garage doesn’t make a hell of a lot of cash, just enough for him to get by. I think he wanted your parents’ project because he cut a deal with your father to get free timber from the mill…”

Sebastian floods with guilt at that.

“Don’t worry about it,” David says after seeing Sebastian get upset. “I get the feeling Mark doesn’t think highly of your father in general right now anyway.”

“I hate him,” Sebastian comments venomously. “I wish he’d hit me, so I could hit him back.”

“This to do with the gay thing?” David questions, raising an eyebrow.

Sebastian looks out at the window at the dark landscape passing by in a blur. “No.” David does most of the talking from that point, and Sebastian sits there half listening as they continue the drive. It feels like the longest drive of Sebastian’s life. But the moment David turns off the highway onto a dirt road, his heart begins to beat faster realising for the first time in _weeks_ he was about to see Mark.

David stops the car in front of a steel gate. “Come on,” he coaxes Sebastian to get out of the car. “Mark padlocks the gate so no one takes the building supplies. We’ll have to go on foot. Bring your clothes.”

Sebastian hurries to pull on his shoes, struggling to get them on with a too large pair of thick socks on his feet. He leaves the laces undone before scrambling out of the car, clothes bundled in his arms before making his way to David who was climbing over the gate. Sebastian follows, David helping him.

The walk was steep, and Sebastian nearly falls on his ass numerous times, the rain turning it into a mudslide. If David had driven the car down, he doubted he would get it back up. David holds his arm tightly, to keep him upright, guiding him to the best places to step until finally the ground levels off and up ahead there was a large wooden house. There were lights on and Sebastian stops to stare at it. David hadn’t been exaggerating: it looked amazing.

“Come on,” David tugs him to the left sharply and they scramble over a few boulders. “The drive goes under the house, but when you’re down there, the only way in is through the garage, which is under the house. At least till Mark cuts steps into the rock at the front to get to the front door…”

Sebastian hurries to keep up, shivering from the light drizzle of rain but mostly out of anticipation when they step onto the front porch. David knocks on the door and unable to help himself, Sebastian presses his face up against the glass window next to it. There were lights on, but they seemed to come from the second story because it was dead dark downstairs. And from what he could see, the house was empty.

“Mark!” David shouts out, “Open up before we drown out here.”

Eventually, after what feels like an eternity, a light turns on downstairs and Sebastian jumps back from the window as the door opens.

“David?” Mark looked startled to see him.

“Brought you a guest,” David says before grabbing Sebastian who was inching away and dragging him in front of Mark.

“Seb?” Mark’s eyebrows had shot up even further.

“Right,” David says dusting his hands off like he had done his bit. “I’m going home, you look after him now Mark.”

Sebastian turns around to watch David begin the hike back to his car, and he wants him to come back because he didn’t want to do this alone.

“Seb?” Mark says questioningly making the younger man whip back around. “Want to come in?”

“Yeah…” Sebastian says before trying to kick off his shoes, not wanting to dirty anything. He then steps inside, Mark closing the door behind him, locking it in the process.

“Whose clothes are you wearing?”

“Jenson’s,” Sebastian mutters.

“Give me those,” Mark says taking the wet clothes from Sebastian’s arms.

“You have a dryer?” Sebastian asks surprised.

“No,” Mark smiles and Sebastian watches as Mark dumps his clothes on the ground and begins to shake them out and lay them over the wooden floors.

“Can I have a tour?” Sebastian asks looking around. “You never told me you had a house…” He begins to drift through an archway only to be grabbed.

“No,” Mark states. “How about you tell me why you wanted to come and see me? I would have been back next week…”

Sebastian swallows nerves exploding in his stomach. “I missed you,” he whispers finally. 

Mark stares at him, eyes trying to read everything from him and making him feel uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry,” he continues when Mark says nothing, just continues to stare.

Mark sighs then. “I don’t know what you want me to say, I said everything last time we spoke, and I get the feeling nothing has changed…”

“Everything has changed,” Sebastian whispers, eyes filling with tears. “It’s all different and I hate it all.”

“You told your parents?” Mark asks slightly surprised.

“N-no,” Sebastian stammers. “I meant…”

“Then nothing has changed,” Mark cuts him off. “Come on,” Mark starts walking towards stairs. “It’s late. Get some sleep and I’ll drive you home tomorrow.”

Sebastian does nothing to hold back a sob as he follows Mark who pretends he hears nothing before blinking away his tears. Mark turns off the downstairs lights and Sebastian looks around upstairs, walking to a railing and staring over the edge that looked directly down onto the first floor.

“Sebastian,” Mark says his name firmly, standing in a doorway with a light on in the room.

Sebastian drags his feet, going to Mark and walking into the room. It was huge and the only thing in the room was a large bed.

“Go to sleep,” Mark says nodding towards the bed.

“Don’t leave me in here alone,” Sebastian pleads when Mark goes to close the door. “Where are you going?”

“I’m working, I’ll be back later,” Mark promises before closing the door.

Sebastian stands in the room before the light is turned off. This wasn’t how imagined this going as he takes a moment to look around before going over to the bed and crawling on it. He sits there, staring out the huge glass windows opposite that looked out over the back of the property. It was dark though, so he couldn’t make out anything besides tree like shapes.

He crawls under the blankets, loving that the sheets smelled just like Mark. He turns his face and breathes in the scent. For what seems like ages, he lays there and waits for Mark. But Mark doesn’t come and he gets impatient. He sits up and hesitantly gets out of bed. He walks to the door and opens it, peering out. “Mark?”

He walks slowly, opening a door only to find it was a closet. Spying a light under the next door he goes to it, and pushes it open before he peeks in through the slimmest crack he could manage. He can see Mark on his knees. He was working in the bathroom, grouting. Sebastian bites his lip before closing the door gently leaving him to work. He then decides to give himself a tour.

There was only one master bedroom and bathroom upstairs, and when Sebastian is happy he’d seen everything he goes back downstairs. All the floors were wooden, and he takes care not slip over. He finds a kitchen that had all new appliances installed and Sebastian opens the fridge curiously. “Beer,” he mutters before grabbing an apple despite that there were only a few remaining, the fridge bare of nearly all food. He walks out into what must be the dining room and sees a set of French doors that open out onto a decked area.

“Sebastian!”

He jumps six foot when Mark barks his name from behind him.

“This is a construction site; you can’t just walk around in the dark. Not all the flooring is done, you’ll fall a story if you’re lucky!” Mark goes over and pulls him back from the door. “The decking isn’t done, you’ll fall down a fucking cliff if you walk out there!”

“I was just looking,” Sebastian snaps. “I was being careful!”

“Go back to bed!”

Sebastian spins on his heel but he goes to pick up his clothes not head upstairs. He was going home, not to bed.

“What are you doing?” Mark asks, sounding tired.

“You’re meant to care!” Sebastian shouts at him. “You’re meant to care and love me!”

“Don’t be stupid Sebastian,” Mark warns as Sebastian goes to the front door. “You going to walk all the way home? Do you even know where you are?”

“I can work it out,” he says going over and opening the front door. He slams the door behind him as he clutches his clothes. The rain was gone but the wind was bad and he shivers as it howls around him. Stepping into his shoes, he wishes he was at home being miserable rather than here. Mark didn’t want to see him; Mark hadn’t missed him at all. 

He goes back the way he thinks he went with David, stumbling in the dark and over unfamiliar ground before eventually falling to his knees. He breaks then, beginning to cry and he just sits on the wet grass and dirt. When he hears Mark shout his name and a door slam it’s enough to prompt him to get to his feet again. He didn’t want to see Mark, ever again. He walks faster wondering when he needed to go left to go back to the drive as he stumbles uphill.

“Sebastian stop!” Mark was gaining on him. “Fucking stop!”

“Leave me alone!” Sebastian shouts back at him.

“You don’t know where you’re going!”

“I can work it out!” he screams out.

“You wanted me to care, I’m coming after you. Isn’t that enough?” Mark sounded much closer.

“I don’t want _anything_!” Sebastian continues to answer back not realising every time he did he was giving his location straight to Mark. He goes left deciding that was far enough. He looks for the boulders only to trip on his shoelaces and he falls face first into the ground. He lies there, winded and shocked.

“Sebastian where are you?” Mark shouts out.

Sebastian rolls over onto his back gasping for air before moments later he was pulled roughly into a sitting position, Mark ripping him to his feet after.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Mark continues to yell shaking him. And then he spins dragging Sebastian back the way they’d come. “You have to be such a stubborn shit sometimes. Why can’t you just go to bed when I ask?”

Mark goes off the whole way back to the house and it’s only when they’re inside and Mark has slammed the door does he stop. Sebastian was making every effort to not cry.

“That was me caring,” Mark says stiffly. “You want me to love you now?”

Before Sebastian can answer Mark strides over, grasping his face in his hands and kisses him hard. And Sebastian can’t help himself; he kisses him back because he had missed this and him. He parts his lips, his tongue rushing to meet Mark’s as he wraps himself around the taller man, clothes falling around them when releases his hold on them. They kiss frantically, Mark’s hands touching him everywhere, his own in Mark’s hair trying to pull his mouth harder to his.

When Mark gasps for him to jump, he does, arms and legs wrapping around him. He strokes Mark’s face, kissing it all over as Mark walks them upstairs. “Love you… I love you so much,” Sebastian says between his kisses.

They finally tumble backwards onto the bed, Mark having carried him to the bedroom before staring down at him in the dark. “What did you say?” he asks stroking Sebastian’s jaw not quite sure he heard right.

“I love you,” Sebastian says staring at Mark wishing there was a light on, because he couldn’t make out much in the dark.

“Seb, why didn’t you say that when you first walked in the door?” Mark asks quietly. “You should have said that first…” He’d been wrong, things weren’t the same; at least one thing had changed.

“I love you,” Sebastian repeats. “Kiss me…”

And Mark does, deeply, missing everything about Sebastian over the last six weeks. Then they pull at clothes, hurriedly stripping the other while trying to keep their mouths together at the same time, not wanting to break apart for any reason. The moment they’re both naked, Mark pulls Sebastian into his lap, legs wrapping around him as they continue to kiss furiously.

Mark’s hands slide to cover Sebastian’s ass, pulling him flush against him trapping both their erections between their bodies. Sebastian whimpers into Mark’s mouth. And then they start moving, moaning as they both fight the urge to rush to completion.

Sebastian presses his face into Mark’s, trying to get closer as he breaks their kiss, eyes locked together as Sebastian hugs Mark’s head to his, feeling like this wasn’t enough and he needed more. “Please,” he gasps, fingers scrunching Mark’s hair as he begs, everything inside was wound so tight and he was on the edge but not quite able to fall. “Mark,” he hisses when Mark digs his fingers into his hips enough to bruise when Sebastian tries to increase the pace as their cocks continue slide together, precum making everything slippery.

Mark drags his lips over Sebastian’s shoulder trying to block out the other man’s pleas, because it was driving him further from his grip of control. His teeth sink into a spot near Sebastian’s ear, nipping at a sensitive stripe of flesh there as Sebastian continues to beg and fight the hold Mark had on him. “Just a bit longer,” Mark promises, he didn’t want this all over yet, he wanted to enjoy this, drag it out because all that time apart was agony and this was bliss.

“I need to come,” Sebastian gasps now, his head falling back. “I need to… I missed you. _Please_. Please Mark, I _need_ you.”

Mark tightens his arms around Sebastian then, crushing him so tight as he stops all movement and holding him before Sebastian lets out a sob. “Mark, I love you.”

Mark’s control disappears then, gone with the sobbed confession as he lets his hand settles on Sebastian’s ass, the other dragging his mouth back to his to kiss him deeply once more. Sebastian moves, now free from Mark’s clutches, till he was kneeling, straddling Mark before with whimpered moans begins to thrust against Mark urgently.

Mark can only watch when soon Sebastian is falling, tumbling into pleasure, cock pulsing between their bodies, the evidence of his orgasm smeared between their bodies. Sebastian gasping Mark’s name continually between kisses Mark steals, loving every moment of watching Sebastian come. He wanted to see him fall again and again, it was so fucking hot, it made his own cock throb with need for release but he ignored it, just continued to roll his hips into Sebastian’s now lax body draped over him, in a bid to ease the ache.

When Sebastian seeks his lips for a kiss Mark resists. “I love you too,” he murmurs before he takes the opportunity of a still recovering Sebastian to throw the other man onto the bed next to him. “Enjoy that?” he asks moving to hover on all fours over a stretching Sebastian whose face held a soppy smile.

“Yeah,” Sebastian sighs contentedly, eyes fluttering closed.

“Good, because this time it’s my turn,” Mark tells him, hands pulling at Sebastian’s legs to widen them apart. Sebastian’s eyes flash open immediately and seeing a shade of uncertainty with the curiosity Mark kisses him gently. “Trust me?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian breathes out watching as Mark moves downwards, lips placing kisses on his flushed skin as he goes.

Mark looks up, a smile spreading across his face that was above his cock that begins to show interest in the close presence of Mark’s tongue that wets his lips. “Good, then don’t touch yourself.”

“Kay…” Sebastian murmurs, letting Mark push his legs up and apart, before he begins under his balls, tongue making sweeping licks before moving lower. Sebastian’s breath hitches, wondering if Mark was really going to do this, except then his tongue licks across his hole. “Ung!” The sensation too brief to work out if he liked it or not, his body clenching in anticipation for more but Mark had pulled back.

Mark looks up, “Okay?”

Sebastian was hyperventilating and he just reaches down, finding Mark’s hair and pulling him back because he wanted to feel more. And then Mark’s tongue was once again against him, circling his hole and it’s the most incredible feeling. He’d never felt anything like this. Mark was taking his time, wanting Sebastian’s body to relax and open for him, not wanting to force anything.

Sebastian grabs his legs, arms hooking under his knees as he tries to pull them back further, open himself wider when he feels Mark’s tongue begin to stab at his ass. “Mark,” he just about gurgles the name in pleasure, “Please…”

Mark just smiles, lips against the quivering hole because he was just getting started. Sebastian’s hole had relaxed enough for him to push his tongue all the way inside, and then he kisses and sucks, his hands trying to push Sebastian’s cheeks further apart so he could get deeper take more, the whole time the whimpering from above him continues to grow. And when Mark nips at the hole, sucks on it and chews, tries to devour him, Sebastian sits up.

“Fuck Mark!” Sebastian was trying to look, a hand in Mark’s hair trying to pull him closer, trying to get more and see it all at once.

Mark shoves hard at Sebastian’s chest so he goes backwards, sprawling against the sheets because he wasn’t finished. Sebastian just grasps at the sheets below him before he yanks a pillow to cover his face and he screams into it, all the while trying to squirm down onto Mark’s mouth.

“Mark! Uh…uh…AH!” Sebastian arches up, cock beginning to pulse, he was so close. He pulls at the sheets, feeling them slip loose as he wrenches at them. “Mark!”

Mark though licks around and around before making a path up to Sebastian’s balls, licking and then sucking on them, moaning loudly as he does. Mark pulls back then to stare up the bed at Sebastian who looked wrecked, out of breath and like he might have run a marathon with eyes blown in pleasure.

“Please,” Sebastian gasps and Mark just grins up at him wrapping his fingers in a ring around the base of Sebastian’s hard cock that was leaking constantly.

“More?” Mark asks innocently.

Sebastian shudders, a sob leaving him. “I can’t take… I need…” Seemingly unable to express what he wanted, Sebastian’s reaches down trying to pull Mark towards his cock but Mark resists.

“But I’m not sucking your cock,” he reminds him and Sebastian lets out a choked wail when Mark goes back to attacking his ass like he hadn’t eaten in days. But this time Mark strokes his cock at the same time, the ring of fingers moving in upwards strokes only, each time returning to the base and repeating the motion, not once providing the relief of a downward touch, which Sebastian was sure that was all he needed to finish.

Mark moves his lips on the sensitive outer skin, tongue wriggling inside of Sebastian before he pulls it back out and then shoving it in hard, fucking him fast with it. And it sends Sebastian hurtling over the edge. “Mark!” he screams as his cock erupts, his seed coating his stomach in long white ribbons as he comes, pleasure gripping every inch of his body, toes curled tightly as the world disappears behind a blanket of black. Mark continued to wriggle his tongue inside of Sebastian, still stroking Sebastian’s cock even as it softened.

Mark moves over him needing something for himself, even if Sebastian looked like he was off with the fairies still. “You okay mate?” He strokes Sebastian’s chest, feeling it heave in mouthfuls of air before lying down next to him.

Eventually Sebastian rolls over towards him, hand searching for Mark’s cock aware that he was still hard. His face held a dopey smile, as his hand begins to move in a slow leisurely pace. Mark grits his teeth, feet sliding along the sheets as he struggles to reel himself in and not take something he was desperately in need of right now; and a slow hand job was far from what he wanted.

Mark opens his eyes, not realising he’d even closed them, to find Sebastian’s face hovering above him, dopey smile replaced with something much more lustful, apparently recovered from his orgasm. In fact Sebastian was licking his lips and smiling at him devilishly. “Is this okay?”

Sebastian’s hand had slowed even more, grip loosening in the process, clearly happy to tease. Mark hisses, hips thrusting up in search of more friction as he tries hard to not beg. “You’ve come twice,” he rasps, “You need to even the number. Stop fucking around!” He hadn’t meant to snap but hell he’d just let the guy get off twice and he just wanted the favour returned. Their separation hadn’t just been painful for Sebastian. Mark’s reaction though had Sebastian looking at him delight, clearly happy with himself at having Mark lose it.

“Maybe…” Sebastian rubs a finger across the leaking slit of Mark’s cock, face one of thought as he tried to hide a smile, “You should ask nicer?”

“Or maybe…” Mark pushes himself up and pressing into Sebastian till their positions were reversed and he was leaning over the younger man, eyes burning into a blue pair that was looking back at him with interest. “Maybe I should just take what I want and screw asking.”

Mark doesn’t need to be able to see him clearly to know that would be sparking doubt in Sebastian, but he had no plans to fuck him; at least not tonight. Squeezing Sebastian’s hip in reassurance before sitting up, Mark moves to kneel next to Sebastian’s face. Burying his fingers in Sebastian’s hair the other man makes no protest, nor does he resist Mark pulling his mouth towards his cock. And Mark’s loud groan as Sebastian swallows him follows the one given around his cock.

There’s no more teasing then. Sebastian sucking and swallowing as he moves his mouth with only one goal in mind - to make Mark come. And Mark grips at Sebastian’s hair tightly, moving his head faster, setting the pace, needing more and knowing how far he could push Sebastian as he hurtles towards the edge. Far too soon his fingers are tugging at Sebastian’s hair in warning as he cries out, his orgasm bubbling up, but unlike previous times, Sebastian doesn’t pull off. Instead, Mark feels Sebastian’s throat swallow around him, tongue dancing against sensitive flesh encouraging the inevitable. Mark can only let his head fall back as he gives himself over, pushing himself deeper into the wet bliss of Sebastian’s mouth as he finally comes, pleasure gripping him tightly as Sebastian swallows around him again and again.

Mark was breathing hard, stroking Sebastian’s hair as he comes down, enjoying the gentle licks Sebastian was making to clean him up. When he’s gone soft, Sebastian moves to lie back down, Mark moving to join him. “Do you want me to love you some more?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian smiles as he replies but he closes his eyes and yawns.

“Get some sleep first,” Mark murmurs sitting up to grab the blankets at the end of the bed and covering them. He then moves to cuddle into Sebastian who immediately sighs ‘I love you’.

Mark grips him harder, “I love you too and we’ll work something out, I promise.” Sebastian clutches at him tighter as he drifts off to sleep, Mark following shortly after and for the first time in weeks he finds sleep easily.

*          *          *


	16. Chapter 16

Mark wakes up in the morning, sun streaking into the room through the huge windows, blinding him temporarily. He groans, reaching across the bed for Sebastian, but he only finds empty sheets. His eyes snap open again, wondering if he’d dreamt last night but when he sits up he can see Seb standing in front of the window looking out, naked.

Mark’s cock hardens at the sight, Sebastian’s slim body nude, his pert ass on view and his pale skin almost glowing in the morning light. Sebastian turns suddenly, smiling brightly at the fact that Mark was awake, but Mark didn’t miss the brooding expression that it had replaced. But he doesn’t say anything, just holds the covers up for Seb when he hurries back to bed.

“Morning,” Sebastian whispers, cuddling back up to him. His thigh brushes against Mark’s hard cock and he groans into the kiss Mark had taken before letting Mark roll on top.

Mark stares down at him, eyes full of love and desire as he grins at Sebastian below him. “What do you want this morning?” he asks teasingly. “Want to do it like this, or I can jerk you off…”

“Mouth,” Sebastian gasps already shivering at the thought. “I love your mouth…” He was secretly hoping that Mark would use his mouth on his ass again, but he didn’t dare ask for that. Sebastian soon finds himself in the throes of pleasure, hips pinned to the bed as Mark brings him hurtling towards orgasm, mouth licking and sucking his cock hungrily, moving up and down with a rhythm designed to get him off quickly.

Mark eventually brings a hand down to his own cock that was throbbing for attention, never faltering with the rhythm of his mouth. Sebastian was fisting his hair, trying to set the pace as he cries out that he was close, begging Mark for more. And Mark was close himself, he moves his hand faster, unable to hold back, the noises Seb was making too much. He comes at the same moment that Sebastian thrusts up violently, his mouth filled as he shoots his load onto the sheets below him. Mark’s cries muffled by the cock in his mouth, Sebastian’s echoing loudly in the empty room.

After his heart had stopped racing and he had his breath back, Mark sits up ignoring the pout Sebastian gives as he stumbles out of bed. “Come on lazy bones,” Mark yanks the blankets off him, “Get up.”

“Why?” Sebastian whines like a child but he does sit up.

“Because we’re not going to lie in bed all day and fool around,” Mark begins to get redressed.

“I think that sounds like a brilliant plan,” Sebastian mutters, now standing naked and making no move to put his clothes back on.

When Mark looks up from doing up his jeans, Seb was still standing there only this time he was slowly stroking his cock back to full hardness, staring at him lustfully. “Stop that,” Mark orders going over and grabbing his hand. “Damn it, Seb I want to throw you on the bed and have you all day, but I have things to do today; one being to drive you home.”

Sebastian scowls and jerks free his hand and stomps around to get dressed. Mark leaves him, after telling him if he needs the bathroom to use the one downstairs, not up here. Sebastian has a quick shower while Mark makes them breakfast with the little food he had. Its fried eggs and stale bread. Sebastian must get out of his mood pretty quickly as he presses into Mark’s side as he dishes up, arms snaking around his waist as he looks to see what was for breakfast.

“I’m starving,” he says, smiling when Mark kisses the side of his head.

“Eat,” Mark orders sliding him one of two old chipped plates. They both do, Mark watching as Sebastian walks around the kitchen, peering into cupboards and Mark follows when he opens the pantry.

“Hey!” Sebastian says surprised. “There are stairs in here!”

“Really?” Mark pretends to look surprised and Sebastian thumps him on the chest when he turns back. “They go down to the garage,” he explains. And seeing how interested Sebastian was to see the house, Mark offers, “You want your tour now?”

Sebastian nods eagerly, shoving the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and passing Mark his plate. After putting the dishes in the sink he goes back to Seb who was looking rather excited about it all. Mark slips his arms around Sebastian’s waist when he stands behind him and then begins to guide him slowly around. Every time Sebastian seems to make a move to dart forward and rush ahead, Mark tightened his grip and pulled him back, not only because he didn’t want to let go, but because this way, he wouldn’t get hurt walking somewhere he shouldn’t.

Sebastian was in love with the house. He didn’t know exactly why, maybe it was because it was so open, the living areas downstairs were only broken up by large arches nothing obstructing the view and it allowed the views to be seen no matter where you were through the large windows. Or maybe it was because everything was wood unlike his parents’ house which was just marble and stone, but this felt so much warmer. And the views were fantastic, and while the ‘cliff’ as David had mentioned wasn’t some towering wall that plunged a ravine, the house did jut over rocks, probably about ten metres from what he could make out, just adding to the feel that the house was apart of its surroundings woods as opposed to just a house built in a cleared space.

There were another three bedrooms downstairs, none of them as large as the one upstairs, but they weren’t small. He listens to every word Mark says, noting the things Mark pointed out and not missing just how much Mark loved this place, but also how proud he was of it. They make a turn and walk along the French doors that opened out onto the unfinished decking and verandas at the back before they were once more in the kitchen.

“So that’s everything… besides the garage and upstairs…” Mark gives him a nervous smile clearly looking for approval. Sebastian turns in his arms and kisses his mouth hard, arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

“I love it,” he whispers, “It’s the most amazing house… I want to stay here forever…”

Mark grins, relieved and Sebastian then bounds out of his arms and Mark follows as he walks quickly away. He stops on the small step that dropped into a large room that felt like it had no walls. It was just made up of windows, two stories high because upstairs opened up above and Sebastian twists to see the banister from the second story above. He grins at Mark, “This is my favourite room.”

And Mark can see Sebastian was itching to go in, but there were no floors only some plywood sheets that he’d thrown down quickly. The garage was beneath them but further back the room hang out over the rocks like the verandas, and the last thing Mark wanted was to see Sebastian fall. “Don’t go in there,” Mark says the moment Sebastian steps onto the plywood clearly unable to resist.

“But…”

“Come on,” Mark grabs his hand pulling him back. “Put your shoes on and we’ll go outside.”

Sebastian does but he looks over his shoulder back at the room, grinning. Mark was building the best house ever.

Mark watches wearily as he throws a blanket into the back of his truck as Sebastian stands on the hood of Mark’s truck, pushing the plywood up from above. “I thought we could go for a drive around the property, what do you think Sebi?” When he looks back all he sees is Sebastian feet disappear after he’d pull himself up.

“If we’re going out, I’m not wearing Jenson’s clothes,” Sebastian calls back to him.

“Why can’t you use the stairs?” Mark moves to shout up through the hole.

Sebastian’s face reappears with a smirk, “Because it pisses you off and you are such a worry wart. Be right back.”

Mark sighs and goes to open the garage door, turning around when there’s dull thud. Sebastian had jumped back down onto the hood of his car, this time dressed in his own clothes.

“Whoops,” Sebastian scrambles off the car to see that he’d left a dent. “Lucky it’s old hey?”

Mark glares at him. “I’ll put dings in your car and see how you like it.”

“Did it for you,” Sebastian answers, moving to get in and Mark just sighs joining him, he smiles though when Seb leans over and kisses his ear, “Love you.”

*          *          *

David looks up surprised to see an upset Marina Vettel walking into the station. “Mrs Vettel?”

“Sebastian’s gone missing,” she says when David asks her what’s wrong. “He wasn’t in his bed this morning, and he didn’t show up at work, no one has seen him!”

David can see she’s distressed and he squeezes her arm. “I’m sure Sebastian is fine.”

“He’s not, I want to fill out a missing person’s report and he will be your top priority,” Marina orders, her voice now slightly hysterical.

“Firstly, he needs to be missing for twenty-four hours Marina,” David reminds her, knowing that she knew that but it was probably of little comfort. She’d probably appreciate hearing that her son was safe forty minutes up the highway with Mark… or not. “Sebastian isn’t a child, I’m sure he’s fine. He might have just taken off for a few days to clear his head.”

Marina stares at him furiously. “Do not act like I’m an hysterical mother! I know my son and he would not just run off!”

David has to bite his tongue, because she really didn’t know her son, or really couldn’t be bothered. “Even if I were to break protocol and do a missing persons report, I can tell you right now, no officer here is going to put much effort in to find Sebastian. He’s done well to piss a lot of people off in the few months he’s been in back town.”

“He is a good person!” Marina shouts at him.

“Mrs Vettel?” Sheriff Whiting had interrupted their conversation, and he gives a warning look at David before ushering the near sobbing woman into an interview room.

David watches feeling worried. Mark better bring Sebastian home today, regardless of what Sebastian wanted, because otherwise he was pretty sure the shit was going to hit the fan. After all, delinquent youth or not, Sebastian was still the son of Glenwood’s richest family and he dreaded to see their reaction when they found out their supposedly straight son was alone with the one person he was not meant to be seeing: Mark Webber.

*          *          *

Sebastian was lying in the back of Mark’s truck, watching the clouds in the sky move slowly past as he lets himself get lost in his thoughts. Mark had driven him around the property, shown him every inch of it, a mass of land that he could easily get in lost in. And it was _a lot_ of land; beautiful, rugged and completely untouched. It felt like Mark, just like the house had, maybe that was why he was in love with it.

He turns his head to look at Mark who was sitting next to him, propped up against the cab eating an apple. “Mark,” Sebastian murmurs rolling onto his side, fingers moving to stroke his ankle tentatively, “Please don’t take me home.”

Mark who had been enjoying the calm silence looks down at the pleading face of the younger man. “Seb,” he sighs.

“I hate my father,” he forces out. “I can’t stand him. He doesn’t care about anything but his stupid company; he doesn’t care about me or my mum. I don’t want to work for him and I don’t want to live with him.” He can feel his anger sparking back up, and when he glares up at Mark it wasn’t anything to do with him. “Don’t take me back,” he repeats.

Mark twiddles his apple core, brow furrowed in thought. And seeing that, Sebastian thinks he has a chance to convince Mark. “I want to stay here with you. No one has to know, it can just be us and your house.” He sits up, moves to wrap himself around Mark but he’s stopped, a hand placed on his chest and pushing him back.

“Seb, this isn’t how you deal with this,” Mark says quietly. “This is you hiding and not facing anything. And I know you think that’s the only way, but it’s not. I love you but I won’t hide away with you. I’m not going to hide for you or anyone. I am who I am, and if people don’t like that, well I don’t waste time on them. And I’m not going to change that for anyone else either…”

“You don’t have to hide,” Sebastian’s response is full of hurt but it was his frustration building he was struggling to hold in. “I wouldn’t ask that…”

“Seb, if you are not ready to come out then you’re not ready for this.” Mark waves a hand between them.

“How come ‘I love you’ isn’t enough?” There was no hiding his anger now, and Mark sitting there cool and collected was making him angrier. How can Mark say that he loves him and then just tell him no?

“Because Jenson isn’t narrating a chick flick,” Mark answers with half a smile, one that vanishes completely when Sebastian just continues to look at him furiously. “I want to know you want this, I want to know…” Mark’s face takes on a pained expression as he looks out at the trees that surrounded the small clearing they were parked in. “David loved me, but that wasn’t enough.”

Some of Sebastian’s anger slides at that. “I am not David.”

Mark looks back with a ghost of a smile before agreeing, “No you’re not.”

“Mark,” Sebastian slides his fingers across the back of Mark’s neck as he stares at him, Mark looking like he was stuck in the past and not quite back here with him. “I want this. I want you…” he murmurs. “I just need some time to deal with my father. That’s all.” Sebastian leans closer, their faces inches apart as he watches Mark falter in his decision. “Can I tell you something?”

“You can tell me anything Seb,” Mark replies quietly, letting his arm slide around Sebastian’s back to keep him against him.

“I’m pretty sure I’m gay,” he confesses before a smile follows moments later when Mark raises his eyebrows.

“Really?”

“Yeah. All I think about lately is cock.”

Mark snorts at that pressing his face into Sebastian’s neck and holding him tightly while mumbling against him, “Whose cock do you think about?”

“Well mostly just yours,” Sebastian answers, both moving to lie down on the blanket below them, wriggling to get comfortable. “Sometimes it’s Jenson’s. Those damn pants.”

Mark laughs and kisses his neck a few times before lifting his head. “I won’t make you go home,” he murmurs, thumb moving to brush Seb’s lips. “No hiding though.”

“’K,” Sebastian breathes out before kissing the pad of the fingertip still against his lips. “I want you…” He repeats his earlier statement but this time with a different intent.

Mark moves over him then, moving to lie between his now splayed legs, lips moving to kiss him softly. And for a few minutes it’s just gentle kisses shared, slow and sweet with no particular rush. And it’s Sebastian who drags them to a slightly more urgent pace, moaning and rolling his hips wantonly, every action an attempt to speed this up, which doesn’t take much.

“Fuck Seb,” Mark groans when Sebastian forces him to roll over, now in complete charge of their desperate kisses as he grinds down, both hard and aching. Hot and needing more, Sebastian sits up. Tearing off his shirt as he straddles Mark, Sebastian lets Mark fumble with the button and fly of his shorts, cock soon wrapped in Mark’s hot grip. Not stroking, just holding him tightly, making him groan as more blood rushed downwards.

“I want you,” Mark rasps to him. pulling him up. Seeing Mark’s tongue slip out between his lips towards the head of his cock has Sebastian shuffling forward hurriedly. Mark swirling his tongue around the tip was enough to short circuit his brain. Feeling his cock against Mark’s stubbled cheek has him hiss before his shoved back.

Sitting back on his heels, Sebastian lets Mark undress himself, watching with greedy eyes, licking his lips at all the skin that was being made available. But Mark won’t let him play until he’s removed his own shorts properly and then with Mark in his lap, he sets about kissing and sucking all the skin he can, hands roaming the hard body at his disposal where his lips couldn’t reach.

Sebastian is aware Mark is fumbling around, doing _something_ that his lust frazzled brain can’t quiet process as he licks at a nipple in front of him. Its only when Mark pulls back does Sebastian see him tearing open a condom packet. He opens his mouth to protest, but the sounds die in his throat when Mark’s hand rolls the condom onto Sebastian’s cock before drawing out a long moan from the younger man at the feeling of Mark’s hand slicking him up with lube moments later.

“Lie down,” Mark orders, and any thought of arguing disappears when Mark presses his cock between his ass cheeks, sliding and moving till the tip was pressing at his entrance. “You okay?” Mark asks as Sebastian’s breathing quickened, eyes blowing wide. He looked like he was high again.

“Yes,” Sebastian’s voice almost strangled the word as he arched up. “Please…”

Mark steadies himself, one hand gripping the side of the tray they were in, the other holding Sebastian’s cock at his entrance. “We don’t have to,” Mark whispers though it was to tease him more than anything.

“No,” Sebastian gasps, hands now on Mark’s hips trying to pull him down, hold him there and not move. “Please, I want to. _Please_.” The thought of them having sex, proper sex had been swirling in his head for so long now, he just assumed with the ass playing Mark did, it would be him that bottomed. And while after last night, that was fucking tempting, he still wasn’t sure about it, but this… _this_. He can only let out chocked moans when Mark slides down, the sensation, so tight and hot, it had him struggling to hold on and not fly apart from just this.

It doesn’t end, feels like it lasts forever that one slide till Mark finally stops, his butt resting on his thighs, his cock buried as deep as it could go. “You okay?” He thinks to ask, panting as he tightened his grip on Mark.

Mark smiles, shifts and then begins to rock slowly. “Very okay,” he groans.

Friction coupled with the heat has him cry out. “Wait!” Mark immediately stops and Sebastian tries to claw his orgasm back. “Need a minute, I need a minute,” he babbles trying to think of something else, _anything_ other than the fact that his cock was buried in Mark. He swears Mark chuckles, _feels_ it but he keeps his eyes closed counting sheep till the edge had faded away. Opening his eyes, that were dark and shining with want, he sees Mark smile at him.

“Okay?” Mark asks, reaching to rub his chest as he starts moving, rising up and down, not even bothering to wait for an answer. Not that Sebastian could even find an answer now, words now unintelligible sounds as he watches Mark move behind lidded eyes. Mark who rolled his hips, Mark who seemed to moan louder when he moved a certain way, like his cock was touching something sensitive inside. His Mark was beautiful as he chased his own pleasure, the pace becomes quicker, movements rougher as Mark threw his head back and let out loud noises that would be heard by no one but the birds.

Sebastian pushes his feet into the blanket beneath them, trying to find more leverage, trying to thrust up harder because if he did it at the right angle Mark would just about scream. He wanted Mark to make that noise over and over; he wanted it to be a scream. And with things fast approaching their conclusion, both his and Mark’s hand wrap around Mark’s cock, stroking in jerked movements together.

Sebastian comes first, Mark squeezing him tightly too much. Bucking up hard he goes stiff as he cries out loudly, somewhere between all that he was vaguely aware of Mark coming, he can feel the evidence hit his stomach as Mark’s ass flutters around him, dragging everything out and ensuring he keeps flying for longer.

And when he does come down, it’s thanks to Mark lifting himself up and moving to lie down next to him as both catch their breath. Sebastian immediately presses into him wanting as much contact as possible, sighing into his shoulder when Mark’s arm circles him, fingers stroking up and down his spine.

“Are you okay?” Sebastian ask, his own hand wandering down in concern to Mark’s ass.

“Might be a little sore but definitely worth it,” Mark answers tugging Sebastian’s head so he can look at him. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian breathes out, still slightly out of it, but he meant it. Mark gives him a hard kiss before rolling onto his back and Sebastian follows, both staring at the sky as Mark moves to slide a foot against Sebastian’s. Sebastian’s smile just grows. “I am _completely_ gay by the way,” Sebastian breaks the silence with his thought. “Best fucking sex ever.”

Mark laughs then, pushing himself up to kiss him once more, smiling as he does. “I love you,” he says when he pulls back.

“I love you too,” Sebastian murmurs. There was no way life could get better than this.

*          *          *


	17. Chapter 17

David was shrugging on his jacket, ready to call it a day when Sheriff Whiting steps in front of him. The piercing look he was being given was not going to bring about anything good. “Have a good night sir,” he says hoping that maybe he was wrong and he could just walk out.

“Where has Mark Webber disappeared to?” Sheriff Whiting asks bluntly.

David bristles. “He’s taken some personal time out.”

“Marina Vettel wants to find her son. He was attached to Webber’s hip for weeks, Webber disappears and now Sebastian?” The old man shakes his greyed hair. “Where is he? Is he up in the woods at that shack of a house his father never finished?”

David’s lips had pressed together in a thin line. Still hoping to avoid directly lying, his response is, “Everywhere is woods around here. So yes, he probably is ‘up in the woods’ somewhere.”

“Don’t get smart with me or you can join your partner in his suspension.”

“Sheriff, no disrespect when I say this, but Sebastian is an adult, not a missing child. He can go where he likes and if he is with Mark or with Santa in the North Pole, it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters if the person who wants you back is John Vettel,” Sheriff Whiting snaps. “I’m sending a patrol car up to check out Mark’s property.” With that the Sheriff walks off with David calling after him.

“And if he’s there, what are you going to do? Drag him back? The law doesn’t work like that! Not even if you are John Vettel!” There’s no response and David can only hope that Mark and Sebastian are prepared for visitors, and by that he means _clothed_.

Heading out David slows when he notes the figure leaning against his patrol car. His day really was just continuing to go downhill. “Lewis.”

Lewis looks up and gives him the smallest smile. “Hey man,” he greets straightening up. “I was hoping we could talk?”

“Well now isn’t a good time,” David states moving to get into the car with the intent in just driving off. But as he slides behind the wheel, Lewis slides into the passenger seat. He can only glare at the other man. “Not now.”

“When then? We just going to be awkward and pretend nothing happened and we didn’t fuck around? Because you know what, I’m all happy for that. But come on, you _never_ let anything go. I don’t know how Mark is cooler with me being back…”

“Back?” David grips the wheel tighter eyes burning into the younger man next to him. “This visit of yours is _permanent_?”

“I hope so,” Lewis responds hopefully. “I’m not back to cause trouble, I’m back because I missed this place. I want to come home.”

“That’s a load of shit, no one really likes this place.”

“Yeah well you appreciate things a lot more when you lose them,” Lewis informs him. “Trust me on that point.”

“What did you lose? A job? I lost a hell of a lot more than that!”

Lewis shifts awkwardly. “Yeah. But I don’t know why you blame that all on me. I didn’t rape you –“

“Just shut up!” David snaps.  He didn’t want to hear this, because sometimes things felt easier if he could blame someone else. And having Lewis back was making it harder to blame the one person he wanted to – especially with Mark rehiring him and seemingly okay with everything, when Mark wasn’t okay with him. Yes they were friends, but when you had so much more, when that had once meant so much more anything less was painful.

“Mark doesn’t love you DC. I don’t know why you are still hanging onto that…”

When Lewis’s hand touches his shoulder David grits his teeth but doesn’t shake it off. “I get that Mark and Sebastian have some thing together, whatever they want to call it. I have not stood in the road of that, not _once_.” As hard as it was, David would rather one of them was happy, and it was only fair that it was Mark after he had hurt him so badly.

“Don’t you want to be happy too?” Lewis questions and it has David stare at him for a long moment.

He really didn’t care if he was happy or not, if he was miserable, in some ways that felt justified. “When did you become a shrink?”

Lewis breaks into a wide smile then. “My new boyfriend is a shrink.”

“Great,” David rolls his eyes and starts the car, ignoring the fact that Lewis puts on his belt clearly happy to go for the ride. “And I am happy enough, thank you.”

“And what about Jenson?” Lewis blurts out.

That has David glance back across in confusion. “What about Jenson?”

“He’s not happy man. He’s waiting for you and all you do is mope about Mark,” Lewis tells him, frustrated. “I haven’t been back that long and that is all obvious as heck.”

“Jenson?” David thinks that’s the most ridiculous thing.

“He’s completely in love with you,” Lewis adds to make sure he got it.

And all David can come up with for a response is, “Oh.”

*          *          *

“Mum,” Jenson says stepping back to look at what he’d been working on all morning, “I really don’t think this is going to work…” Tilting his head he half pays attention to his mother’s encouragement, “Yes mum I _know_ I had the best finger paintings when I was four, but it’s not translating into a masterpiece.”

The painting in front of him was meant to be of the woods at the back of his house, it was mostly just smudges of brown and green. “Add a gay touch?” Jenson snorts at his mother advice. His mother, while as supportive as anything, really was out of touch. How did you add a gay touch? Draw two cocks on it? Maybe he’d paint Sebastian and Mark into the background doing it in the trees, _that_ would be a gay touch…

The knocking on his door offers him the perfect excuse to end the call with his mum. He sighs at his disastrous painting as he walks passed. His mood brightens considerably at the sight of David standing on the other side of the door. “Hey,” he grins at his partner. Ushering David inside, Jenson heads to the kitchen, “You want something to drink if you’ve knocked off early…”

“Wait,” David murmurs catching his wrist. And before Jenson could ask anything else David was hugging him tightly. Taken aback by the unexpected embrace it takes Jenson a moment to think about returning it, but he does, squeezing him tightly because this was… way better than nice. The hand David lets settle on the back of his neck has his skin burn and he can’t help but bury his face in David’s neck and just breathe him in.

He has no idea how long they stand there, holding each other but Jenson doesn’t care. He doesn’t say anything out of fear that David would stop and just leave, or worse, he’d wake up and if this was a dream he’d like to get to the sex part first.

“Thank you,” David finally clears his throat, the words seeping through Jenson’s warm bubble.

“Your welcome, but for what?” If he knew, Jenson would be sure to do more of it.

“For nothing and everything,” David explains, fingers now playing with the hair on the nape of his neck, it has Jenson shiver. “For waiting…” he adds in a murmur.

“I’ll do nothing more often for you,” Jenson promises not sure what was meant by the ‘waiting’ and honestly he didn’t want to know, just in case.... He tilts his head to look at his long time friend trying to work out the real reason for this, but David’s face held a pained expression nothing like the warm, happy feelings bouncing around inside of him. The smile on Jenson’s face edges to one of being forced. Was David so determined to be miserable for the rest of his life?

David touches his face looking at him in a way Jenson was sure he’d never done before. “What happened?” The question has David shake and then drop his head before turning away heading to Jenson’s kitchen to dig out a beer for himself.

Jenson follows feeling confused and a little uncertain because that suspicion he had that this was somehow about _them_ was growing. And none of it was playing out like he’d imagined if David worked it out. “How was work?” he asks about something else, needing to change the subject.

David had finished half of his beer, by the time Jenson asks the question. He slams the can to the bench. “Before I tell you what happened I need to tell you that yesterday when I said I took Sebastian home, I lied.”

“What do you mean you _lied_?” Jenson already knew before David even answered.

“Come on Jens. He was miserable, he came _here_ , to _you_ of all people to ask where Mark was. Don’t tell me I did the wrong thing,” David pleads.

“You did the wrong thing!” Jenson shouts at him. “Bloody hell! How much longer are you going to let Sebastian fuck with Mark? He’s been through enough.”

“Thank you for that,” David barks taking that remark personally.

“Grow up DC,” Jenson snaps. “This isn’t about you.”

“That’s right, and it isn’t about you either. Mark and Seb need to sort their shit out and trying to keep them apart isn’t going to do anyone any favours,” David tells him sharply.

“I hate you right now,” Jenson seethes.

David was back to drinking his beer as he says calmly, “Funny, that wasn’t what Lewis said at all.”

Jenson freezes, momentarily forgetting how or why it was important to breathe. He was going to _kill_ Lewis Hamilton.

*          *          *

Mark couldn’t stop wincing every time he heard the nail gun go off. Sebastian had insisted they were staying, giving up his lunch so they could have it for dinner in a bid to stretch out being here for another night. He had then insisted he help Mark with the building and as much as Mark loved Sebastian, the thought of him with power tools was freaking him out.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Sebastian calls to him across the deck where he was nailing boards into place. “I am a not a child, I can do this.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Mark defends from where he was cutting pieces of decking timber. There was no way he was letting Sebastian near the power saw; the nail gun had _seemed_ safer.

Sebastian waves the nail gun wildly in his direction. “You don’t have to; I can feel all your anxiousness from here.”

“ _Please_ don’t point that thing at me,” Mark gasps trying his hardest to not physically duck. Sebastian rolls his eyes and goes back to firing off nails.

“Do you miss him?” The question from Sebastian comes out of the blue and Mark shuts off the saw to look up. “Your dad,” Sebastian clarifies as if Mark didn’t understand, continuing his task like he hadn’t thrown out a question on a clearly touchy subject. “You were building this house with him, I just don’t _get_ it, I guess. He beat you up…”

Mark’s lips press into a tight line at being forced to think about his dad. He doesn’t move to join Sebastian who had finished nailing the planks he had and now moves to sit crossed legged as if this was going to turn into some huge long explanation. “He was angry at life. Angry that my mum died, angry at me for not turning out at like he imagined. He drank too much and on his worse days I copped it. But despite that, and don’t get me wrong here, I don’t condone what happened and I fought back like hell, he was still my dad. And you only get one, only one family. You can change everything else in your life, friends, where you live, your job, but you can’t change your family.”

Sebastian doesn’t say a word, just taps his fingers on the nail gun in his lap in thought, eyes studying Mark and who had managed to be even tenser than when he was using the nail gun.

“I was angry at him for a long time. _Very_ angry. And it wasn’t like we patched things up, I just sort of… moved on I guess. I had David, I worked on the house and my father was in the background working at the garage.” Mark hesitates before adding, “When he was diagnosed with cancer, it changed things. It wasn’t like we reconciled, it wasn’t like there were hugs and tears, it was just a realisation that this was it. The last bit of time we had with each other, good or bad.”

“We didn’t talk about it, or anything really, he just started joining me up here, working with me. Nothing much was said, but after everything that happened, the silence was nice. I loved the silence because there was no fighting, no shouting, just…us.” Mark shrugs then, breathing out a sigh of regret, sometimes he wishes he and his dad had talked about things but he knew that would never have happened under any circumstances, his father wasn’t that kind of person, and he wasn’t the kind of person to keep pushing. But still he wishes things had been different.

“So you never forgave him then?”

“No,” Mark says simply. “I probably won’t either. But none of that changes the fact he was my dad. He was just not a nice person, not to me anyway. He had a lot of respect in town and people have a habit of turning a blind eye to things. Everyone will tell you he was a good man, and maybe he was when my mum was around, but I don’t remember that person.”

Sebastian was just staring, listening and when it was clear that Mark was finished and not going to add anything, Sebastian blurts out, “Everyone thinks my dad is a good person. That he’s some hero in town just because he has money and has the perfect family.” Anger flashes across Sebastian face at that. “He’s never hit me, but he doesn’t let us step out of line. Everything is his way, from what friends I have, to what schools I went to, what I studied, where I studied. I didn’t notice, or didn’t care at first, but when I wanted to stay in New York and he said no, when he wouldn’t _listen_ …”

Mark jumps when the nail gun fires off, Sebastian squeezing the trigger in frustration, a yelp of surprise leaving him. “Fuck!” Mark rushes over expecting to see Sebastian’s leg full of nails. “Thank fuck,” Mark mutters snatching the gun off him as Sebastian tries to pull his shorts free from where he’d nailed them to the deck. “You’re fired.”

Sebastian looks up and glares at him angrily. “I didn’t shoot myself!”

“Close enough,” Mark snaps. Throwing the gun aside Mark then reaches down ripping Sebastian’s shorts free and then kissing the pout Sebastian makes at the torn hole. “Cheer up Sebi, your mum will fix them.”

“Maybe,” Sebastian mutters as pushes his finger into the hole before he wiggles it around to see how big the tear was. “She won’t if my dad says she can’t.” His anger flashes back as he looks back up at Mark, “Sometimes I hate her more than him because of that. She _never_ stands up to him. I don’t…I don’t understand!” He raises voice at the end and if he had the nail gun still he’d probably have hurled it off the back deck and down the cliff, instead he can only rip the hole in his shorts bigger.

“Hey,” Mark comforts, sitting next to him. “Your mum makes her own decisions. Just like you.” He tugs Sebastian against him, presses him into his side so he knew he wasn’t alone, because sometimes that was enough for him.

They drift back into silence, Sebastian slowly sagging against him, anger seeping away before his head droops to rest on Mark’s shoulder. “Please don’t make me go back,” he begs once more, just like had earlier. “I can’t Mark. I just _can’t_.”

“And what do you want to do then?” Mark murmurs, fingers moving to stroke Sebastian’s hair simply because he could.

“I can live with you right?”

Mark snorts at that. “In my crappy apartment? Seb, I _barely_ manage to live there. It’s a dump. You bitch about it and you only really ate lunch there. There is no way you’d cope twenty four seven.”

Sebastian wanted to argue that, but just thinking about Mark’s bathroom has him wrinkle his nose. He couldn’t even dry himself in there without coming out with bruised elbows. “How long have you lived there for?”

“I don’t know…nine months? Since David and I split. I used to live with him, my father lived at the garage while he was alive. It’s not _too_ bad.” It had a roof, so he couldn’t complain and it was rent free. “It’s only temporary anyway. Soon I can just move here.”

Sebastian brightens up at that. “You could move here now. There’s walls and a roof. You have one bathroom finished…”

“No,” Mark cuts him off then. “I won’t move in until it’s all done. It’s my motivation to finish it off. If I just moved in I’d be worried I’d never finish.”

“Or maybe it will never be perfect enough for you to move in?” Sebastian counters twisting so he could look at Mark properly. “It’s a beautiful house Mark. You can live here now, why don’t you?”

Mark strokes Sebastian’s cheek, back of his fingers brushing across the stubble that was there, enjoying it because normally it was so smooth. Leaning forward Mark kisses his cheek before making a path to Sebastian’s lips.

“Don’t!” Sebastian had pulled back suddenly. “Answer the question and then you can play with me.”

Mark snorts at that and then dives for Sebastian’s mouth, which sees Sebastian cry out as he goes sprawling onto the decking. Despite fighting back, Mark soon has Sebastian pinned down, hands besides his head, on all fours above him. “My darling little Sebi,” Mark teases, slightly out of breath from their struggle, “If I want to play with you, I will play with you.” With that, Mark shifts so he can rub his knee lightly over Sebastian’s cock smirking when he feels the reaction it causes.

“That’s cheating,” Sebastian moans hips lifting to increase the pressure on his soon nearly full fledged erection.

Mark releases Sebastian’s hands that are immediately on the back of his neck and are tugging him down. With his point proven, Mark stretches out across Sebastian and kisses him softly as he slides an arm under the back of his neck for comfort. Breaking the kiss that has Sebastian’s eyes flutter closed, Mark murmurs, “It was my Mum’s house. She designed it, it was meant for her. It doesn’t feel like mine,” he confesses, “Even if I built it myself, because I’m not building it for me.”

Sebastian’s eyes are open once more. “Mark,” he says softly, “It is yours. If she’d been alive to live in it, to see it, she’d have left it to you regardless. It is yours.” Sebastian gives him a hopeful smile, a finger rubbing at the small cleft in Mark’s chin. “Plus,” he adds, smile becoming a grin, “If she saw where you were living, she’d go off.”

Mark buries his face in Sebastian’s neck at that, kissing him hard before nipping at his skin lightly. “God, I love you.”

Those words have Sebastian tingling; he’d never be able to hear that enough. “I love you too.”

Lifting his head, Mark drops his forehead to Sebastian’s staring down at him. “I promise we can discuss the living here thing later. Once at least all the flooring’s done. Not yet though, too dangerous. But I _promise_ Seb, if you don’t want to go home, you don’t have too.” He kisses Sebastian’s smile before scrambling to his feet. “Come on,” he holds his hand out to Sebastian who looked like he wasn’t going to get up because he spreads out as if he was a starfish and was once more pouting, “Let’s have a shower.”

Mark makes a note for future reference – to get Sebastian moving, offer him the opportunity to shower together.

*          *          *

Sebastian is undressed seemingly in a split second, Mark had only peeled off his shirt and there was a naked Sebastian in front of him checking out the large bathtub with interest. Mark stares at his ass when Sebastian bends over to look at the jets.

“Is it a spa bath?” There was excitement dancing in Sebastian’s eyes at the realisation, clearly he hadn’t noted that feature when he showered this morning.

“Yes,” Mark’s voice had dropped and Sebastian notices because his eyes drop to his pants.

“Why aren’t you naked yet?” Sebastian’s there then, undressing the rest of him, not dragging anything out, but that was Sebastian to a tee, demanding and impatient. “Can we have a bath instead?” he asks shoving down shorts and underwear in one go.

“Shower,” Mark repeats. They could have a bath, there was no reason not too, but Mark won’t let them because he refused to bow to Sebastian’s every whim. And that pout was back, and it has Mark more determined to become immune because otherwise Sebastian would have far too much power over him; he already felt like he had no control.

At least there wasn’t an argument about it, rather Sebastian just stepped into the shower and turned on the water. “You know this shower is bigger than your whole bathroom in your apartment,” he comments when Mark steps in and pulls the glass door closed. The shower was big, it had two separate shower heads and Mark turns on the other. “On second thoughts, I hate it. I want you to shower with me.”

“Come here then.” Mark holds out his arm and moments later he’s holding a wet and squirming body. Mark can’t keep his hands still, dragging across slick skin as they kissed unhurriedly, grinding together as they do.

When they break apart Sebastian whispers against his lips, “I want to wash you.”

Mark can’t help but shiver at those words, cock twitching. His response is to pass the soap and he lets himself be pushed out of the stream of water. And then Sebastian starts, his actions methodical and thorough. Hair first, Sebastian standing on tiptoes to ensure he doesn’t miss anything, treating Mark to a scalp massage at the same time before he’s pushed forward to rinse. And then Sebastian moves downwards, his neck and throat, and shoulders, his hands firm and sure, like it wasn’t his intention to turn Mark on and leave his skin burning wherever he touched.

But it was because Sebastian seemed to spend far too much time cleaning sensitive spots, especially his nipples which he squeezes and tweaks until he finally has Mark moan audibly and then moves on like it was all nothing. And when Sebastian drops to his knees, face in front of his throbbing cock, Mark flashes back to Sebastian on his knees in the office at the garage and blowing him for the first time.

“Seb,” Mark rasps frustrated when Sebastian begins to intently clean his legs, bypassing his cock all together but the little shit kept licking his lips, pink tongue darting out and driving Mark _insane_.

“Shhh,” Sebastian orders, fingers pressing into his muscled thighs, massaging them, “I’ll clean _everywhere_ , don’t worry.” The innocent expression Sebastian was giving him didn’t quite match the dirty gleeful look in his eyes, wicked bastard.

“Just remember it’s my turn after his,” Mark warns, “And two can play this game.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrow then, hands picking up the pace though. “Maybe I’ll stop and jerk off for you.”

Mark groans at that, thoughts of Sebastian touching himself just for his pleasure have him thrust his hips forward. “I will make you do that,” Mark promises the idea now planted firmly in his head. “Not now though.”

“No, not now,” Sebastian agrees having nearly done the other leg already. And then Mark is gifted the sweet pleasure of a soapy hand wrapped around his cock.

“Oh fuck,” Mark lets his head drop back, face now under the streaming water, as Sebastian moves his hand slowly, twisting up and then back down. A thumb sweeps across the leaking tip drawing a loud moan before Sebastian’s other hand moves to wash his balls, cleaning him thoroughly but never faltering in the slow agonising rhythm he’d setup to stroke his cock.

Mark can feel his orgasm slowly building, heat and desire pooling in his lower stomach as he let himself get washed over in the sensations Sebastian was creating. All slow and firm… Mark’s eyes snap open when Sebastian’s hand drops away.

“Clean,” he states. “Turn around.” Mark was going to argue but Sebastian was twirling his finger around to get him to comply. “I have to clean _everywhere_ that got dirty today Mark.”

Mark turns though not completely convinced that Sebastian was going to do what he was implying. But Sebastian’s torturous hands start at his shoulders, cleans his back, using the slow strokes he’d done the front half with. Mark was starting to feel a little crazy, he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so needy before, his body was on fire. He was going to explode from want and longing. He swallows a choked noise when Sebastian’s fingers deep between the crack of his ass, stroking across his entrance.

“Mark,” Sebastian breathes into his ear, fingers pressing but not entering him, testing and maybe a little hesitant. “You know how you’re feeling now?” Mark grunts his acknowledgement at the question, ass pushing back against Sebastian’s fingers but they still don’t enter. “How hot and needy you feel?” Another grunt is given and Mark finally feels the tip of one finger slip in, wriggling around a little.

“More,” he manages to find his voice to form a coherent word; he wanted Sebastian to know it was okay, that he fucking _wanted_ this. That it wasn’t going to hurt, that if he could, he might actually beg.

“Everything you’re feeling,” Sebastian continues, now fucking him with the tip of his finger, pulling it out and in. It has Mark’s knees shake because Sebastian was going to do this, and he _needed_ it, _now_. “You want to beg and you want this and everything, and you want to _come_.”

Mark lets out a sharp cry when _finally_ Sebastian pushes one finger fully into him. He clenches down on it, tightening around the digit which has Sebastian let out his own moan. But still the finger retreats, only to blissfully return moments later.

“ _This_ Mark,” Sebastian was still speaking, breath hitching a little, clearly not unaffected, “This is how you make me feel _all_ the time. When you touch me, kiss me, _look_ at me. Fuck, just being in the same room with you makes me feel like this.”

Mark had stretched his arms forward, moaning loudly at Sebastian’s words and actions, hands finding the tiled wall in front of him for some attempt to keep balance. “Seb,” he groans, widening his legs, wanting to ask for more and apologise all at once, more fingers slipping inside now.

Sebastian twists his fingers, tips grazing a spot in Mark that has him jerk forward roughly. He seeks it again, rubs over it, the small bump. And Mark is made to just feel it all – Sebastian’s light inquisitive stroking, then harder, pushing, rubbing, jabbing, trying it all just to see which has Mark call out the loudest.

“Holy fuck,” Mark was awash with intense pleasure as Sebastian relentlessly hammers his prostate, fingers curled pressing in hard and fast over and over. “Seb…Seb, you’ll make me come. Seb!”

“I want to see you come,” Sebastian states, breathing nearly as heavily as Mark, just not with the loud continuous moans. Mark was riding his fingers shamelessly, name falling out between all the noises as Sebastian just fucks him harder with his fingers.

Mark feels Sebastian’s mouth back against his ear as he gasps loudly, “If you loved me, you’d come for me.” And that was all it took. Fingers curling against the tiled wall, nails trying to dig in as screams echoed around bathroom walls, though they sounded incredibly distant in Mark’s head.

The world whites away, and the only thing that mattered was the intense waves washing over him, making him fly higher and higher, till he was soaring, riding the peak of his pleasure for what felt like far too long, too much, too intense. Unaware that Sebastian was still pressing into his prostate, now stroking his cock that was sending come into the swirling water below. He was only aware of the fact that when he could comprehend anything he was sitting on the shower floor on his knees, Sebastian holding him tightly.

“You okay?”

Mark struggles to find his voice again, throat achy. “Fuck.”

“That was so hot,” Sebastian whispers, tongue moving to lick at runs of water on Mark’s arm and when Mark looks down he can see how hard Sebastian was, tip flushed red and begging for relief. “I want to do that to you every time we shower together.”

“Fuck.” Mark can’t think of another word right now, it might be the only word left in his vocabulary after his orgasm.

“Does it really feel that good?” Sebastian asks hesitantly.

Mark stops staring at Sebastian’s cock and looks back up. Sebastian curious was enough for Mark to force himself his feet despite his still boneless feeling legs. “Up,” Mark orders hoarsely.

“But you didn’t wash me.” Sebastian was back to pouting. “At least wash the important parts.”

Mark ignores the gesturing Sebastian was making at his cock and instead moves to shut off all the water. “Out,” he says then, moving to grab them both towels. Mark dries himself off just as quickly as Sebastian had undressed. “We’re going upstairs and I’m going to show you _exactly_ how good it is to be fucked.”

Sebastian freezes at that, eyes widening. “I don’t know…”

“Dry off or you go to bed wet,” Mark warns, already on his way out of the bathroom. He wasn’t going to drag Sebastian up, he wasn’t going to rape him because he was fairly confident Sebastian would appear on his own and he doubted he’d have to sway Sebastian much; he was curious and horny, that should be more than enough.

And sure enough, Mark had barely managed to yank the sheets back when Sebastian was standing there, dry-ish, next to the bed opposite him, nervous and excited. Mark was once more eyeing Sebastian’s hard cock, forced to resist leaning over and sucking on it, because Sebastian looked like he might be a bit _too_ excited.

“Come here,” Mark says softly crawling onto the bed, Sebastian meeting him halfway. Mark kisses him, tries to calm him because Sebastian was shaking. “Do you trust me?” Mark asks, fingers stroking down the other man’s spine.

“Of course,” Sebastian answers.

“I won’t hurt you; I never want to hurt you.”

They kiss again, wet and all tongue. And Mark lets it go on till Sebastian looked drunk on kisses. Grabbing a pillow after pulling back, Mark pats it. “Lie down on your stomach, hips here.”

Sebastian doesn’t even hesitate to obey, legs spreading wide without Mark even asking. Moving over him, Mark kissing up his spine till he can kiss his cheek. “Sebastian, I promise you’ll love this so much, come so hard that you’ll be wondering why we weren’t doing this _months_ ago.”

Sebastian moans at that, face burying into a pillow and Mark leans over to grab the lube from next to the bed. “You’ll never go back after this Sebi,” Mark says, a handing resting on the closest ass cheek. “I’m going to remove any doubt left you may have.” Mark’s only response is another moan into a pillow, but that was good enough. He was going to enjoy this; he had no plans to rush this at all. He was going to make Sebastian _beg_.

*          *          *


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning - This chapter is a little heavier in content such as homophobia, slight violence, and even some slight dubcon

Sebastian was staring out the bedroom windows. It was raining outside, _again_. And when Sebastian rests his head against the glass, it was cold, his breath leaving the glass misty. He had no idea what time it was, but it was dark, probably not too late though because he could just make out the dying lights of the day fading away. It was probably dinner and that was why his stomach wouldn’t shut up.  
  
But he didn’t care about that right now, a finger dropping down to draw patterns where he’d breathed out. He’d had sex with Mark. The really gay kind, where it was his ass being fucked. It all felt a little easier when it had been the reverse; less gay, easier to cope with. Because Mark was right, there was no way he could go back and pretend.  
  
And it wasn’t just because it felt good, _really_ good, and that Mark made him beg and then scream before finally letting him come. It was because it felt _right._ For the first time he had sex and didn’t feel like something was missing. All day he’d felt like that, sex with Mark in the back of his truck and sex with Mark now. So this was him now, him and Mark, and _the_ _gay_. He didn’t _feel_ different, besides his ass being on the achy side.  
  
Turning, he stares back at Mark who was spread across the whole bed in his absence. Mark. He’d never felt like this about anything or anyone. Not even the crush he had on his lecturer, Professor Horner, at university came close to rivalling this. He was in love with Mark; he still felt like he was falling. He swore every moment he spent with Mark he fell further. It was exciting and _terrifying_. He was never going to crawl back from this, get out of the abyss he had tripped into.  
  
Panic was settling in, because this was it. Him and Mark. Sebastian and Mark. Gay. Together. No matter what happened, throwing a tantrum wouldn’t change any of it, sneaking out wouldn’t change any of it. “Oh god,” Sebastian whispers to himself as he slides to the floor. So, him and Mark. What did he do now? They went back to Glenwood tomorrow. Mark said he didn’t have to see his parents, but god the town was so tiny he’d _have_ to see his parents at some point. And if they were…boyfriend and boyfriend? Was Mark going to kiss him in public, hold his hand, make it known that they were _together_?  
  
The next wave of his panic attack squeezes his chest tightly, unable to breath as his fingers dig at the floor, head falling back to the glass as he tries to find air. _Everyone_ was going to know. They’d know they were together, that they had gay sex and that he _liked_ gay sex. Why did they have to go back to Glenwood? Why couldn’t they stay here so he could just think for a bit more, discuss this with Mark a bit more? _He wasn’t ready_!  
  
“Mark?” Sebastian had pulled himself together enough to get back to his feet, returning to the warmth of the bed. He just needed…Kneeling next to him, he kissed Mark’s shoulder blade, and when that drew no response he bit down, _hard_.  
  
There’s a sleep strangled cry, Mark awake in an instant. “Seb?”  
  
“Fuck me,” he orders. He felt edgy and jumpy, everything inside of him felt like it was spiralling out of control and he needed something to hold him in place or he’d lose it. “Please? Now.”  
  
Mark’s still half asleep but he rolls onto his back, Sebastian straddling him moments later, kissing him desperately, needing this far more than he had needed anything before and it wasn’t about lust and want; he wasn’t even hard. Mark sits up, far more alert, still kissing him, hand on his cock ensuring the fact that he wasn’t hard was changed in a few strokes. He moans into the kiss, before Sebastian reaches down to pull Mark’s hand away; he didn’t want to enjoy it, he just wanted to be fucked.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Mark asks hands sliding over Sebastian’s tense shoulder muscles.  
  
“Nothing,” Sebastian shifts in his lap impatiently. “Just… _fuck me_.” He didn’t want to play around and talk, and lifting himself up Sebastian grasps Mark’s erection, trying to line them up.  
  
Mark though upsets his balance, just about throwing him across the bed next to him. “Lube,” Mark states. “You want to rip your ass to pieces?”  
  
Sebastian almost says he didn’t care, because he didn’t. If Mark ripped his ass to pieces then he probably wouldn’t enjoy it and that would be a good thing, giving him hope. But he doesn’t say that, because Mark would stop and make them talk and he didn’t want to talk right at this moment. At least Mark doesn’t play around like he had the first time. Last time he swore Mark spent hours on his ass before they fucked, he’d been on edge before they started.  
  
Mark’s quick though thorough with the lube, before it’s tossed aside, kneeling between Sebastian’s spread thighs and reaching for his hips. “Seb…” The tone in Mark’s voice was an offer, to stop, to talk… Sebastian’s response was to push his hips up, offering himself and Mark jerks him down and onto his lap where he was on his knees and sitting on his legs.  
  
“Hard,” Sebastian orders. He was pleased it was dark and he couldn’t actually _see_ Mark, because maybe then he’d break. Mark presses into him, and the moment Sebastian feels the head of Mark’s cock push in, Sebastian shoves himself down the rest of the length, not waiting for his body to adjust to the intrusion.  
  
He can’t stop the cry that rips from his lips. It hurt like hell. Tears burn in his eyes, as sharp jagged edges of pain slice through him. His whole body had stiffened, frozen in place terrified that if he moved while the pain was so hot he’d cry.  
  
“Fuck, Seb.” Mark was gripping his hips tightly. “Are you okay?”  
  
Mark was withdrawing and Sebastian could tell it wasn’t to keep going. “Don’t,” he cries out, sagging back onto the bed so he could lock his legs around Mark and trap him. “Don’t stop!” The movements had him gasp, pain blurring back into focus. Mark doesn’t say anything, just keeps still for the longest time, till the pain faded into a dull ache that was bearable. It was only then does Sebastian croak out, “Move.”  
  
Mark does, hips rolling at a gentle pace as his hands rubbed at Sebastian’s sides, legs, stomach all in soothing strokes. Sebastian finds it distracting, the warmth of Mark’s hands giving him something to focus on besides his aching ass. It wasn’t long till the pain was just a dullness at the back of his mind. Every stroke when Mark pushed in rubbed his prostate. It made him shiver, gasp before Mark withdrew and he was made to feel it again. Before he can stop himself he was moaning every time Mark pushed in deeply.  
  
Sebastian wanted the pain back. “More,” he pants. “Harder.”  
  
“Seb,” Mark warns, voice strained and Sebastian didn’t care if Mark was enjoying this or not. He wanted to _feel_ , and if he could feel something other than pleasure maybe he’d stop feeling like he was going to splinter apart.  
  
“Hard!” Sebastian orders and this time Mark complies, slipping out to rise up on his knees, forearm pressing against the back of Sebastian’s legs so they were against his chest to open him right up. All the air is knocked from Sebastian’s lungs when Mark thrusts in deep in one long stroke, pain and pleasure at war with each other. But Sebastian can’t even catch his breath because Mark had withdrawn and was repeating the motion. And there was no gentleness to any of Mark’s actions. And despite that, despite the pain, it still felt so good.  
  
There was far more pain now, but the little pinpoints of pleasure that rippled from when Mark hits that one spot, was still enough to make him moan. Unaware that he was even reaching for Mark, seeking contact, seeking more, Sebastian cries out sharply when Mark grabs his hands, angle changing once more. Sebastian’s arms now pinned either side of his head in a grip that was going to leave bruises, Mark leaning over him, Sebastian’s legs over his shoulders, as Mark seemed to move at an even more brutal pace, pounding into him so hard that Sebastian almost begs for mercy.  
  
“Is this what you want?” Mark rasps, struggling to get the words out, short of breath as his hips snap forward as hard he could manage. “To feel pain? Do you enjoy this? Does it make things better? Easier?”  
  
Sebastian squeezes his eyes closed because right now he couldn’t feel _any_ pleasure, just pain and Mark. He tries to pull his arms free but Mark just tightens his fingers, pins them harder, and Sebastian can’t seem to find a moment between trying to breathe to cry out and tell Mark to _stop_ , because he didn’t want this anymore. The tears slip from the corner of his eyes, his teeth about to go through his lip to hold back his scream.  
  
When finally, one arm was released, Sebastian pushes at Mark’s chest, fingers digging in and scratching. Then he feels it, Mark’s fingers brushing his cock, his cock that was still inexplicably hard despite everything. Sebastian’s teeth release his lip, the feather light touches Mark was granting him, the pleasure of such simple touches like this, the sweetest relief from it all, and despite his screaming ass and muscles, he stiffens, cock throbbing before it pulses and he comes. He can’t hold back anymore, he screams, feeling like his orgasm ripped him away in its sudden intensity, gone for a few precious moments in bliss, before sobbing he crashes back, a trembling mess under a panting Mark.  
  
Mark who moments later was raining kisses up his neck, licking at what he was sure were bruises from their earlier session, hugging him tightly and holding him as he shook. Despite everything he was still able to come, and Sebastian doesn’t think he wants to repeat that again, ever. He can’t stop shaking, and he can only cling to Mark limply as Mark stroked and kissed him, like he was still coming down. And maybe he was and that was why couldn’t speak or get his body to move.  
  
“Seb?” Mark eventually murmurs into the darkness to the exhausted and limp Sebastian in his arms. “Are you okay?”  
  
Sebastian takes a moment to form the word and answer, “Yes.” But he didn’t feel okay. He hadn’t enjoyed any of that; he doesn’t know what it means if he could still come despite that fact. And whatever he was trying to prove he thinks he failed at anyway.  
  
“What was that about? And don’t say nothing,” Mark’s nose touches his coaxing him to tip his head back and look at him in the darkness. Sebastian opens his mouth but doesn’t know what to say so just closes it again. “You’re ass is going to _kill_ tomorrow for the record mate.”  
  
Sebastian just closes his eyes because his ass felt like it was killing him now. Mark shifts next to him, and he opens his eyes when Mark suddenly gets out of the bed. “Don’t,” Sebastian whispers. He wanted Mark to stay and keep holding him.  
  
“I’ll be back,” Mark says hurriedly pulling on clothes before walking out of the room.  
  
Sebastian just closes his eyes and slipped off to sleep, but far too quickly Mark was back and he was shaking him awake. “Get up,” Mark says gently. “The police are here and they want to talk to you.”

 

*          *          *

  
Jenson goes to see Lewis who was still working, despite that it was well past knock off time. He can’t do anything to reel in his anger as he storms through the garage to the small office where Lewis seemed to be trying to file Mark’s mountain of paperwork. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he yells at the startled look of the younger man.  
  
“Uh…hey Jens?” Lewis looks confused more than anything.  
  
“You think you can just come back a year later, walk into your old life after you fucked up _everything_ and then slot right back in like you still have a place here!?” Jenson was shaking, his fists were balled up in an effort to stop himself from swinging. “You had no right to say _anything_ to DC! _Nothing_!”  
  
Lewis stands up holding up his hands in the hopes to calm down a screaming Jenson. “Listen man, I’m trying to help…”  
  
“You’re not helping!” Jenson shouts.  
  
“David wasn’t going to work it out on his own!” Lewis argues back now, frustrated. “Who knows how long it would have taken him…”  
  
“I don’t care what you think! It was my issue! Not yours! Not anyone’s!” Jenson shoves hard at Lewis unable to help himself. “This was between me and David! You weren’t part of that equation. None of this had _anything_ to do with you! But as usual, the moment you weren’t centre of attention, you have to go and fuck it up for _everyone_!” Jenson wasn’t getting any closer to calming down, rather it was the opposite. His anger over events from a year ago come pouring out along with everything else.  
  
“Jenson,” Lewis looks pained, “I apologised. To Mark more times than you can count. And David… that was wrong, and we both have issues to deal with because of what…”  
  
Jenson shoves him hard then. “And where was my apology? Where was, ‘Jens, so sorry that I was a complete tosser for sleeping with my friend’s boyfriend for the last three months, and then having to piss out of town and leave you!’” Lewis looks surprised at that before he’s scrambling to stay on his feet as Jenson backs him up hard against the small filing cabinet. “We were _friends_! All of us! You fucked us all up and you pissed off leaving me here watching and then dealing with Mark and David falling to pieces! You left me too! You are the most _selfish_ person I know!” Jenson sneers, hands now full of Lewis’s shirt. “And you comeback and open your fucking mouth on something that doesn’t concern you!”  
  
“I was trying to help,” Lewis looks upset, voice quiet as he slackens in Jenson’s grip, not fighting, just pleading with Jenson, wanting him to understand.  
  
One final push and Jenson steps back. “Help? You think that just by telling David, we’ll be okay and I’ll get everything that I want?”  
  
“Well yeah…”  
  
“Life isn’t that simple!” Jenson shouts. “He doesn’t love me! He has _never_ loved me! I never said anything for a reason! What you did was just succeed in ruining my relationship with one of my best friends! You fucking idiot!” And with that Jenson turns and walks out, slamming the door behind him as he storms through the garage struggling to resist the urge to throw random tools around – he wasn’t a child like Sebastian. When he reaches his car, ripping open the door, he stops when he hears Lewis call after him.  
  
“He said he didn’t love you?” Lewis was there looking upset and ashamed. “I thought…”  
  
Jenson was thrown back to the moment in his kitchen earlier, that moment where David dropped a bomb on him. He can still remember every single agonising minute of the silence that followed. David’s face had been mostly calm, occasionally flickering to confusion, but still David hadn’t managed to make a sound. “He said _nothing_. He just walked out,” Jenson tells him coldly. “Stay away from me, stay away from my friends. No one missed you in Glenwood Lewis. _No one_.”

 

*          *          *

 

Mark waits downstairs for Sebastian to get dressed, waving Officers Massa and Smedley inside. “I suppose if you’re on duty you’ll say no to a drink?” When they both decline they stand awkwardly in silence waiting near the front door.  
  
It’s Officer Smedley that clears his throat, finger pointing at the shoulder of the t-shirt Mark had pulled on quickly. “It’s uh…inside out.”  
  
Mark curses inwardly while shrugging, his eyes then glancing towards the stairs wondering how long it took Sebastian to get out of bed. Maybe he should have stayed to assist rather than trying to be polite to law enforcement officers. “I wasn’t expecting company.”  
  
“This is a nice house,” Officer Massa was taking it in with appreciation.  
  
Mark doesn’t comment because neither were here to check out his house and make small talk. He feels relieved when Sebastian finally appears, though the way Sebastian walks down the stairs has Mark wince. He should have given Sebastian some painkillers. It takes a lot of restraint to not go over and hold him, apologise for causing him pain, but he knows Sebastian wouldn’t appreciate if he did so much as touch him right now, at least not front of strangers. The weary warning glance Sebastian passes him when he finally descends backing up his assumption.  
  
“I haven’t stolen anything,” Sebastian tells both cops bluntly. “I haven’t done _anything_.”  
  
“Not this week anyway,” Officer Smedley mutters before clearing his throat. “Your parents have filed a missing person’s report…”  
  
“He’s not missing,” Mark cuts in, hand waving at Sebastian as evidence. He couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling settling over him.  
  
“We have orders to escort you home,” Officer Massa adds not looking at all comfortable and Mark understood why. There was no bloody way they had any rights to request Sebastian return with them.  
  
“I don’t…” Whatever Sebastian was going to say is lost when Mark moves to stand between Sebastian and both officers.  
  
“He’s an adult. He’s not missing. I’ll have him call his parents. He’ll go home when he’s ready.” Mark states himself clearly making sure it was understand he was happy to start an argument should it come to that.  
  
“Don’t speak for me,” Sebastian moves out from behind Mark.  
  
Mark turns to look at him. “Do you want to go home?”  
  
“Of course not!”  
  
“Then let me deal with this.” Mark hadn’t meant to snap but it has Sebastian narrow his eyes and suck in his breath.  
  
“Are you going to send me to your room again?” The sarcastic comment wasn’t helping matters and both of them are giving the other hard stares having forgotten for a moment they weren’t alone. “ _I_ can deal with this. I know I don’t have to go with them, but that doesn’t mean I can’t.”  
  
Mark stops at that, surprised and hurt. “You want to go?” For a moment he stops breathing because Mark is pretty sure that this was all to do with what had happened upstairs. “I think we should talk about what happened.” He was regretting going against every instinct he had earlier to talk rather than fuck.  
  
Sebastian’s cheeks go pink before he stutters in a hiss, “Not now Mark.”  
  
Mark spins around to shoot a silent look at both police officers who were looking everywhere but at them. “Wait outside,” he orders. Both men seemed happy to escape and slip out, closing the door behind themselves.  
  
“We are not talking about this when they are on the other side of the door!” Sebastian hisses while pointing furiously at the closed front door. “I don’t want people to know!”  
  
“Well they bloody know! I’m standing here in a shirt inside out, we both have bed hair, and your throat looks someone mauled you to death!” Mark was angry because Sebastian had said he wanted this, _promised_ and he couldn’t help but feel right now that if given the opportunity, Sebastian would flee. Mark was not letting him out the front door until they bloody well had a proper conversation.  
  
“Why do you have to keep doing that?” Sebastian shouts at him, hand clamped to his throat as if that would cover all the bruises and make it okay.  
  
“Why? Because you fucking love it.” Mark moves closer, reaching out and yanking away Sebastian’s hand. “Maybe I should add another one, there’s a patch right here…”  
  
“Stop it!” Sebastian bats at his finger that moved to press into the side of his throat. “What is wrong with you?” Sebastian was once more holding his throat and looking more upset now rather than angry.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Mark lowers his voice but he can’t help but growl. “Tell me what the hell happened upstairs? Because that wasn’t nothing…” Sebastian swallowed and his eyes he was suddenly looking everywhere but at Mark. “You promised,” Mark whispers upset. “You _promised_.”  
  
Sebastian was suddenly grasping his face, “Don’t. Don’t look like that,” he pleads. “I haven’t changed my mind. I haven’t.” Sebastian looked as hurt as Mark felt and Mark squeezed his eyes closed in an attempt to get a grip. “I still want this, I do. Please don’t think I don’t. I just freaked out. Okay. Okay?”  
  
When Mark doesn’t immediately offer a response, Sebastian’s fingers dig into his face harder. “Okay,” Mark eventually murmurs with a nod, eyes open again as he forces his lips into a tight smile. He still didn’t feel like things were okay, couldn’t shake his reservations. Reaching up, Mark pulls Sebastian’s hands from his face before sliding one of his own into Sebastian’s hair, grasping it tightly before kissing him harshly. “I swear to god Seb. You fucking run, walk away from this in anyway…”  
  
“I won’t,” Sebastian promises.  
  
“I’m not going to play these games with you any longer,” Mark warns. “No more. You want to freak out, you come to me. Okay?”  
  
Sebastian nods hurriedly.  
  
“Good.” Mark then kisses him again, a little too desperately because despite Sebastian’s promises he didn’t believe him. And he wasn’t sure how to convince him. Sebastian lets out a sharp cry of surprise when Mark slams him to a wall, mouth still fused to his as Mark tried to steal all the air in Sebastian’s lungs. Successfully because when Mark finally breaks away, Sebastian has to suck in mouthfuls of air.  
  
“Good,” Mark repeats pushing himself away letting Sebastian find his own strength to remain standing to throw open the front door once more for the waiting officers outside. He still didn’t feel sure about anything but they couldn’t make out in here indefinitely. One glance over at Sebastian who was still leaning on the wall sees that he receives a mouthed, ‘I love you’ as Officer Smedley and Officer Massa walk back inside both looking embarrassed. Mark feels a little better as he mouths back, ‘Stay.’

 

*          *          *

 

Sebastian limped inside his house. It was some absurd hour and he was exhausted, bruised, and sore; he couldn’t even walk properly. Closing the door behind him he can only pray that his parents were in bed because he needed sleep and to not deal with them right now. He wasn’t even sure why he’d gone against the logical option of going home with Mark tomorrow as was the plan.  
  
But Mark was right, at some point he would need to face his parents, he couldn’t hide forever. And he wanted to prove to Mark he could do this, and maybe prove it to himself as well. But home now, Sebastian wasn’t sure how this could ever have been construed as a good idea. Being confronted with potentially dealing with his parents was making him very aware at how absurd he was to even contemplate coming home. He should have stayed, like Mark asked. He blocks out how hurt Mark had been when he’d chosen to leave, not even the hard hug he’d given to Mark had been much consolation, it was barely returned.  
  
“Sebastian?” He hears his mother’s voice call out when he was peering at the stairs in front of him, dreading the thought of climbing them in fear of the pain it was going to cause to his ass. Sebastian closes his eyes and wishes his mother away but she’s there a moment later hugging him hard.  
  
“I thought you’d been _kidnapped_!” She was just about strangling him in her relief. “John!” She shouts out for his father and Sebastian winces because he really was regretting this choice now. He could be so stupid sometimes. “Are you okay?” Marina was looking him over, stroking his face worriedly before she stops, her eyes staring at the large hickeys on his neck.  
  
“Where have you been?” John asks looking like he might really throttle him for the first time in his life.  
  
“Nowhere,” Sebastian whispers as his father stands on the stairs, blocking his path up them as his mother clung to his arm so he couldn’t make a mad dash anywhere.  
  
“What the hell happened to your throat? You look like you’ve been attacked.” His father was making his way down and Sebastian’s cheek flame red, a hand slapping against the marks Mark had left. “You were with Mark Webber.” His father spits out the name in hatred.  
  
“No,” Sebastian denies shaking his head but it was probably a pointless lie. He didn’t doubt his parents knew where he’d been if it was them that had gone to the police to report him missing, or ‘kidnapped’ in his mother’s words. Sebastian could only wish he’d left his jacket on because his father was now staring at the bruises on his wrists and arms where Mark had been holding him down mere hours ago.  
  
“You were fucking him,” John accuses, his voice a dangerous whisper.  
  
Sebastian feels all his words dry up as his throat tightened. His mother immediately moves between them. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she hisses. “I’m sure Sebi has a perfectly good explanation.” She looks at him pleadingly, an attempt to have Sebastian deny it all at the very least.  
  
“We had a deal Sebastian!” His father was shouting, dragging his mother forcibly away so she was no longer the shield between them. “And you still let him _fuck you_!”  
  
“John!” Marina grabs at her husband when he gets a hold of his son and then throws him towards the stairs. Sebastian barely has time scrambles to his feet as his father approaches, terrified because this time he wasn’t sure his father’s murderous gaze wasn’t in fact just a look.  
  
“Please,” he begs his father.  
  
“I told you to stay away from people like that!” John climbs the stairs after him and Sebastian backs up them as quickly as he can, aware how much everything hurt. “And look at you! You can’t even _walk_!” His father sounded like he was going to be sick while his mother followed, pleading with both of them to stop this.  
  
“Sebastian, please put a stop to this!” his mother begs as his father charges after him now and he nearly trips on the top step. “John!”  
  
“Dad!” Sebastian cries out, scared as his father throws him against the side of the banister and then pushes him so he hung dangerously over the edge; the grip he had on the front of Sebastian’s shirt the only thing that was keeping him from falling over and down to the first story. “ _Please_!” he chokes out hoarsely.  
  
“Did you sleep with him? Have sex with him?” John was shaking him, rage all that was visible and Sebastian wanted to sink to the ground and sob as he held on his father tightly.  
  
“John! Stop it! You’ll kill! You’ll kill him!” Marina was trying to pull Sebastian back up as well. “Stop it!” she screams.  
  
“Answer the fucking question Sebastian!” His father roars.  
  
“No!” Sebastian shouts back, crying out when the next moment he was pulled upright and thrown to the wall opposite where he gratefully sank to the ground. He presses his hands into the carpeted floor trying to keep a hold of it if his father grabbed at him again. His mother was crying next to him, holding him tightly as she stared at her husband like he was a different person.  
  
John was trying to calm himself back down, eyes still wild and body visibly still shaking. His lip curls up as Sebastian cries silently. “You didn’t let him fuck you?” His voice was now oddly calm and Sebastian just stares up at him.  
  
He felt sick, and somehow like this was a trick question but fear has him shake his head. The response has his father suck in his breath before replying, “Well since it’s obvious you’ve been fucked, he must have _raped_ you.”  
  
Sebastian watches as his father then charges down the stairs and a moment later the front door slams closed as his mouth finally catches up with his brain and he whispers, “No…”  
  
“Sebi,” his mother was gripping him tighter. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She keeps repeating it and Sebastian turns to bury himself into her and then like he was still five, he tries to crawl into her lap, crying unashamedly.

  


*          *          *


	19. Chapter 19

David would have said his phone ringing at five am woke him up but considering he’d barely slept all night, it would be a lie. Since leaving Jenson’s yesterday afternoon, pretty much not another word had been spoken between them after he revealed the bombshell Lewis had dropped on him. And when he had brought it up he had intended to say _something_ but in the moment he hadn’t managed anything. Instead, and even now David found himself replaying _everything_. And not just Jenson not denying it, and not calling Lewis out for lying, but rather the last few weeks, months, _years_. For the life of him he couldn’t work out when Jenson’s feelings changed.  
  
Had he really noticed nothing? Had he really been that involved with Mark and their breakup that he hadn’t noticed his best friend, his partner who he worked with just about _everyday_ was in love with him? Or maybe Jenson had _always_ been in love with him. All these questions swirled around in David’s head and yet he had asked not one. Instead he’d finished his beer and walked out of Jenson’s like it was all nothing. When in truth this was something far bigger than he was able to deal with and process.  
  
Reaching over David grabs his phone. “Mmmm?”  
  
“I got arrested.” It was Mark and he sounded pissed.  
  
David sits up. “For what?”  
  
“For raping Sebastian?” Even Mark sounds like he didn’t quite believe it all himself. “I’m getting my one phone call and then I’m going to be questioned by Charlie,” Mark continues, referring to the Sheriff.  
  
“Did you want me to get you a lawyer?” David asks scrambling from his bed and looking for his pants.  
  
“I don’t need a bloody lawyer mate. I didn’t rape anyone!” Mark hollers down the phone.  
  
“I’ll find Sebastian,” David mutters and then their conversation is over and, pants pulled up only one leg, starts calling Jenson. It rings out and David isn’t entirely convinced it was because Jenson was asleep. It takes three goes before Jenson finally answers.  
  
“What?” Jenson asks sounding unimpressed. “Do you know what time it is?”  
  
“Mark’s been arrested,” David says not bothering right now with their issues.  
  
“Sorry?” Jenson sounded just as shocked as David did moments earlier. “What the hell has Sebastian done now?”  
  
David braces himself before telling Jenson the claims been brought against Mark, and then has to listen to Jenson rant and rave for far too long, ending the whole thing with, ‘…and this where I add a big fat I TOLD YOU SO!”  
  
“Jenson!” David has had enough. “I’m going to the station to see what I can do and check on Mark. I need you to go and see Seb…”  
  
“What’s the point in that when I don’t have my gun?!” Jenson fumes.  
  
“Jenson!” David is once more shouting. “Go find Sebastian, and find out what’s going on. You can have your pissy little fight with him later but you and I both know that under _no_ circumstances would Sebastian have Mark arrested for rape. So go find him and find out what the hell is going on.”  
  
There’s a long moment of silence before Jenson says, “Okay.” And then the call is over and David can finally pull his pants on properly, and finish dressing. He could only hope that Jenson was going to be sane about all of this. He sent a silent prayer above because now wasn’t the time for Jenson to become Super Cop.

*          *          *

 

Jenson had all intentions of going off at Sebastian; it was like he _never_ learnt. But after convincing Marina Vettel to actually let him in the house and then finding Sebastian lying on his bed, the thought of yelling disappears. Sebastian was lying on his side, facing the window and looking like he wasn’t even there, he looked _vacant_. Jenson wasn’t even sure that Sebastian was aware he was there even when he was in his line of vision.

After a long moment he shifts to sit on the edge of the bed, and the movement his weight makes on the mattress does cause something to flicker on Sebastian’s face. At least he wasn’t in a coma. “Do you have any idea what’s going on right now?” It was just a question, if David could have heard him he’d have gotten a round of applause for not shouting or getting angry, though right now it was a little hard with Sebastian looking like this.

“Go away Jenson,” Sebastian whispers and then sits up enough to roll over so Jenson was staring at his back.

Jenson pursers his lips, anger sparking up at the action. “I’m serious Sebastian. Do you know what’s going on?”

“That I fucked up?” Sebastian suggests coldly. “I’m sure you’re not here for any other reason.”

Jenson gets up and moves to the other side of the bed. “Do you want a gold star for that answer or can you please have a proper conversation with me for once?”

“Get out,” Sebastian orders.

“You know that he loves you don’t you?” Jenson asks not budging. “My opinion, you have Mark on a far bigger hook than David ever had. He’d do _anything_ for you Seb.”

“I do not want to talk about Mark with you!” Sebastian snaps but he does sit up again, this time to point at the door. “Get out.”

Jenson moves to sit in the uncomfortable desk chair, crossing his arms and making a point himself. “I really want to throttle you right now but I’m trying to be on my best behaviour. I promised DC, so please don’t make this any harder for me, because I think I need the points with him.”

“What do you want Jenson?!”

“I want to talk.” Jenson’s eyes zero in Sebastian’s throat. No prizes for guessing what Mark and Sebastian had been up to. “About Mark.”

“I’m not talking to you like we’re best mates, we are not friends,” Sebastian hisses at him, making sure that point was known and it has Jenson snort.

“No need to state the bleeding obvious. I arrested you for nearly killing your friends, you had me suspended…” Jenson shoots a glare at Sebastian to make sure he kept his mouth shut till it was his turn to speak, “And I have had to watch one of my best friends decide that same person would be the perfect person to go and get all serious about. Trust Mark to not understand how a rebound fling works.”

“I am not a rebound fling,” Sebastian huffs angrily.

“I want you to tell me what happened between you and Mark, because I don’t think you understand how badly things are spinning way out of your control right now.” Sebastian though sits there in stony silence, daring Jenson to make him speak. “Did he rape you?” he asks the question quietly, not that he thought that was possible, but still the question should be asked.

Jenson can see all the blood rush from Sebastian’s face, paling immediately. “What?” he asks hoarsely.

“I know you’re coming to grips with this, and I’m sure it’s not easy here…” Jenson makes a vague gesture at their surroundings, in reference in part to his family and their town. “But seriously? Rape? You know what that will to do to someone’s reputation?”

“I…never… _never_.” Sebastian still looked shocked, fingers gripping at his bedding as his eyes flood with tears. “No. I never said that! Never. My dad…I…. we fought…” Sebastian stares at Jenson pleading with him to believe him. “Mark asked me to stay with him, I didn’t. I didn’t…” He pushes the heels of his hands into his eyes to stop the tears. “I should have but I wanted… I thought I could sort things out.”

Jenson gets up to sit next to him, hating that this was not turning out quite how he envisioned as he pats Sebastian’s back awkwardly. “There, there.”

Sebastian stiffens and glares at him, hands dropping into his lap. “Don’t pretend to care!”

“For some strange reason Seb, all I seem to do is care,” Jenson sighs getting to his feet. “What happened with you and your dad because Mark was hauled to the station and is apparently being arrested… can’t be true though if you haven’t signed a statement.”

“I never said that Mark raped me. Never.” Sebastian’s fingers stroke at his throat and he looks like he drifts off as he adds pained, “I just said we didn’t have sex. That’s all I said to him… he just assumed…”

“Okay,” Jenson says getting to his feet and nodding. “This is easily fixed then. We’ll go to the station, and we can straighten this all out. Sheriff Whiting can’t press any charges without you anyway.”

Sebastian makes no move to get up; instead he stares at his hands like they were the most interesting thing all of a sudden. “I don’t want to see my dad right now. He’s…angry. If he’s there…”

“You can stay here and hide in your room, Mark will eventually be released, or you can do the right thing here Seb. This is it you know,” Jenson states gently, “This is that moment in your life where you choose what you want. And it’s not about coming out of the closet, this is about doing the _right_ thing, consequences be damned. What kind of person are you Seb?” When Sebastian doesn’t move, instead looking more upset, Jenson asks, “Do you love him?”

Sebastian stares at him with teary eyes. “Yes,” he chokes out.

“Then this should be the easiest decision you will ever make.” Hesitating, Jenson adds, “You want to know why I never told DC how I really felt? Because it wasn’t the right thing, it would have been the most selfish thing I could have done, because I knew that David was happy with Mark. Easiest choice I ever made, just far from the easiest to live with.”

Silence surrounds them and Sebastian continues to refuse to look at him, staring somewhere off into space, and Jenson keeps waiting, hoping that giving Sebastian a few minutes would make him see that walking into that police station wasn’t going to be the end of the world, but the younger man doesn’t move even a muscle. Shaking his head, Jenson walks out. Sebastian wasn’t needed to straighten things out anyway. He gives a tight smile to Marina Vettel before trudging to his car.

He’d started the engine when the passenger door opens and Sebastian slides in next to him moments later. Jenson opens his mouth to say something but Sebastian stares at him icily, “Don’t talk to me.” Jenson waits till Sebastian had put on his seatbelt before driving. Despite the silence, Jenson can _feel_ Sebastian’s anxiety, panic, doubt. But he doubts he could say anything to make it any easier. He also doubts Sebastian wants to hear what he has to say anyway. Silence was fine.

 

*          *          *

  
Sebastian seemed to take a while to find the strength to get out of the car. Jenson was standing there, just waiting, trying to appear like he wasn’t getting impatient. But Sebastian had noted the irritated bounce in his stance. But all he wanted was a few moments to work out what he was going to say, which was hard when his eyes were fixed on his father’s parked car. And he has the irrational thought that he wished his mum was here.

When he does finally get out, straighten up, he pretends he doesn’t hear Jenson’s ‘Hallelujah’ that was muttered under his breath. Instead, he focuses on trying to ensure he didn’t look quite as terrified as he felt. He’s pretty sure he failed at that, but right now he was successfully failing at everything.

The first thing he hears when he steps inside the station is his father’s voice, shouting orders and making demands. It has Sebastian’s blood run cold and he backs towards the door without realising it, at least till he crashes into a body. Jenson.

“What’s going to do to you in a place filled with cops?” Jenson breathes into his ear. “He’s not going to hurt you here.” Sebastian’s teeth push deep into his lower lip. Jenson was wrong. His father could hurt him in more ways than just physically. Despite that knowledge he does allow Jenson to drag him briskly towards the front desk where he immediately dives to the point.

“Sebastian wants to sign a statement to clear charges against Mark Webber.”

“Oh…” Suzy’s eyebrows shoot up before she grins and leans across the counter. “Nice throat,” she winks at him.

If it was meant to make him relax, Sebastian doesn’t think it worked. He can’t even manage a weak smile as he wishes the floor would open and swallow him whole. He felt like every eye was on him as Suzy wandered off to get the necessary paperwork. She was taking far too long and Sebastian fidgets nervously, very aware that his father was around the corner; still yelling and still making demands.

And then in the next moment he was father was right there, eyes still holding a wild rage as a hand suddenly circled his arm. It takes Sebastian a moment to realise it wasn’t his father grabbing him, but Jenson as he feels himself pale and his stomach lurch around. “I…I’m…” No matter how hard Sebastian tried he couldn’t force out the words to his father, couldn’t say it. _I’m gay._

“If you’re here to let Webber walk free, do _not_ come home,” his father hisses harshly. “Do I make myself clear?”

The tears in Sebastian’s eyes burn as he forces out in a barely audible whisper, “I’m sorry.” And he meant that, because he had failed at some many things, including being a good son.

Jenson was still squeezing his arm long after John Vettel had stormed out of the station, doors slamming after him, Sebastian staring after him. “See,” Jenson murmurs, “The world didn’t end.”

Those words have Sebastian squeeze his eyes closed because to him, it did feel like his world had ended.

“Let’s sign what’s needed and then you can see Mark,” Jenson encourages.

It has Sebastian nod numbly and turn back to the desk where Suzy was giving him a sad smile but she doesn’t say anything else about it, simply states what he needed to do to get everything sorted.

 

*          *          *

  
Mark was exhausted. He’d driven back to Glenwood tired, feeling drained and cut that Sebastian hadn’t chosen to stay with him, instead choosing to go back to the one place he said he hated so much. The two days with Sebastian had left Mark feeling empty and like he’d been through the wringer. The last thing he needed was more cops, this time at his apartment mumbling in embarrassment, clearly not believing what they were accusing him of, and being told he _raped Sebastian._ At least he wasn’t put in handcuffs like a criminal when he was escorted to the station.

Sheriff Whiting places a cup of coffee in front of him and Mark rubs at his eyes in an effort to get his vision to focus. “It’s breakfast, you want something to eat?”

Mark wants to shout that what he wants is to be let go because everyone in this damn station knows he didn’t rape anyone. But he was too tired so he just reaches for his coffee and shakes his head. He had no appetite, he just felt sick. All he could think about was what had Sebastian said to have people think he’d raped him? He buries his face in his hands because after the last two days this was not how it ended, not when Sebastian had promised that he wanted this. And then there was the dark thought swirling in Mark’s head that maybe he’d gone too far the last time they had sex, maybe he had forced Sebastian… maybe he should have made Sebastian talk instead because he _knew_ Sebastian had not been okay.

“Mark,” Sheriff Whiting had sat down opposite him. “What’s going on with you and the kid? Rumours around town are that you two are together.”

“We’re not,” Mark answers quietly, and he wasn’t denying the existence of a relationship to protect Sebastian, he was simply stating at this point in time, whether Sebastian was aware or not, they were most definitely _not together_. “You really think I did this Charlie?”

“Of course not!” Sheriff Whiting says loudly. “It’s the most preposterous thing. I’ve known you all my life, I watched you growing up for crying out loud.” His defence does not make Mark feel any better because he wasn’t released. Sheriff Whiting casts a glance at the door of the interview room, “Listen Mark, right now I’m dealing with a raging John Vettel…”

Mark cuts him off. “You either arrest and charge me properly, or you let me go,” Mark orders. “I will not sit here and let you use me to swindle money from John Vettel to fund the station and your personal pocket to do his bidding. Either Sebastian is out there signing a statement that I raped him, or his father is standing there making accusations on his son’s behalf. And you know as well as I do the latter won’t stand up in court of law!” Mark was fuming, suddenly finding something to spark his anger, Sebastian’s father.

The door opens to the interview room and Mark feels no relief at seeing David there. Unless David was opening the door so he could go back to his apartment he really didn’t care for support.

“Officer Coulthard,” Sheriff Whiting says looking far from impressed at being interrupted. “You are not on duty.”

“Well considering no formal charges have been laid, I don’t think there would be an issue with me being present,” David sits down next to Mark.

It seems to be the end of the questions then, because it soon dissolves into an argument between David and the Sheriff. Mark was starting to wonder if David was going to be joining Jenson on suspension with the way David was raising his voice. Not that Mark pays much attention to what’s being said, he sits there and broods, trying to work out how everything fell apart in the last 24 hours. How could he have been such an idiot? The only thing he was sure about was that if, _when,_ he got out of here, he never wanted to see Sebastian Vettel’s face again.

The room falls silent, dragging Mark from his thoughts to see that Suzy, one of the officers that worked on desk had poked her head in, stilling the arguing between Sheriff Whiting and David. “Excuse me Sheriff. I wanted to let you know that Officer Button is here with Sebastian Vettel…”

“Stay!” The Sheriff barks at David, halting his movement to stand up.

“Things are going to get sorted now,” David gives him an encouraging smile.

Too tired to even bother with a response, Mark just drops his head back to his hands and waits. It seems like an eternity before the door reopens, the Sheriff standing there clearing his throat. “Mark? You’re free to go.”

“About fucking time!”

Mark reaches out to touch David’s arm to silence him. He was grateful that at least one of them was angry. Standing up, he stretches, letting David grab his jacket over the back of his chair before following him out of the room. He stills the moment he steps out into the main area of the station: the first thing he sees is Sebastian.

Mark stares hard at the pale face, taking in the pleading eyes, watching as Sebastian stands there fidgeting nervously and just _waiting_. For a moment it feels like it’s just the two of them, no one else, and if Mark could find the strength to care right now, he probably would have gone off. But instead, the moment Sebastian stepped forward, Mark turns his back on him, and marches out.

“You’re not going to say anything to him?” Jenson’s next to him, keeping up with his brisk pace as Mark yanks on his jacket. “He pretty much just outed himself to the whole town for you. You can’t just walk away!”

Mark refuses to even look at Jenson. He was going to walk home, not caring that it might take him an hour, and he wasn’t going to discuss this with anyone.

“You have to talk to him, Mark!” Jenson raises his voice as if speaking louder was the key to get him to change his mind.

Mark whirls around to face his friend. “I do _not_ have to do anything!” It’s the first time he’d shouted since being dragged here. “I don’t want to see Sebastian. I don’t want to talk to Sebastian. I don’t want _anyone_ to even say his fucking name near me! Do you get that? Or are you that fucking stupid?”

“Sebastian had nothing to do with this!” Jenson argues back with him and Mark wonders if the world just tipped upside down. When did Jenson suddenly jump on Sebastian’s side over his?

Fuming, Mark shoves a finger into Jenson’s chest. “Sebastian has _everything_ to do this! I’ve spent the last two hours being treated like I was a fucking criminal!” Mark’s voice booms around the car park, volume constantly increasing and sounding like it was verging towards hysteria. “He doesn’t get forgiven! I will _never_ forgive him Jenson! _Never_!” When Mark stops yelling, the silence is deafening, and Mark notices Jenson’s eyes drift to behind him. One glance back sees Sebastian stand there biting his lip hard, tears in his eyes, and Mark doesn’t give a fuck. At least now Sebastian knew to stay the hell away from him.

With that, Mark turns and keeps walking. At least this time no one joins him. Good. He wanted to be alone.

 

*          *          *

  
It doesn’t feel like home when Sebastian steps out of David’s patrol car. Nothing about it felt friendly, or inviting. The large house loomed in front of him and never in his life had Sebastian been quite so terrified of stepping inside. But he walks towards the door because David was watching him, feeling a numbness wash over him with each step. When he reaches the door he thinks he can face whatever was waiting for him. Instead of walking in, throwing open the door, Sebastian knocks.

His father opens the door and it’s the scent of whisky that hits Sebastian before he even notices the glass that John Vettel was holding. It’s not a sight that Sebastian had ever seen, his father rarely drank. Instinctively, Sebastian steps back putting some space between him and his dad.

“Can I help you?” The question is asked like Sebastian was a stranger. And maybe that’s what they were to each other, because Sebastian was sure he didn’t know his father at all since he returned home from New York, so how could he expect his father to know him?

Hesitating for a moment Sebastian asks, “Can I get some stuff?”

“Anything in this house belongs to me. You haven’t earned a dime of it,” John sneers at his son.

“How about some clothes? I just want a backpack. I’ll stay with Jaime or Nico…” Sebastian asks again, trying again, actually resorting to begging.

“You think people like that want people like you staying with them? All this town seems to do is grow queers. You think they’d be worried about letting one inside to sleep.” Sebastian moves to try and step around his dad but his father shoves him back. “You are not welcome here.”

“Where’s mum?” Sebastian asks, shoving his father’s hand away from him. He didn’t doubt his mother would in the very least let him grab some things.

“Dealing with the loss of a son!”

“I didn’t die!” Sebastian screams. “I am not dead! I am not dead! I am not dead!”

“Sebastian!” His mother’s voice cuts through his shouting and Sebastian immediately shuts his mouth. He can see how tired she looks, drained and suddenly so much older. “Here.” She holds out his backpack for him and Sebastian reaches for it, feeling from the weight of it that his mother must have packed his laptop.

“Marina!” John growls at his wife. “He doesn’t get anything!”

“Shut up John!”

Sebastian had never heard his mother shout at his father before, but the last two days she seemed to be doing that quite a lot more. “Thanks,” he mumbles to her, arms hugging the backpack tightly to his body.

Forcing a smile, Marina looks at her son sadly. “Are you going to stay with Jaime or Nico?” Sebastian shrugs. “Okay,” she nods before giving him a tight smile.

“Get out of my sight,” John hisses, stepping back, and Sebastian blinks as the front door is slammed in his face.

For a long time he stares at it before turning and trudging towards the road, backpack slipping on. So this was him now. Homeless, no money…  he stops flashing back to swimming with Mark that night so long ago now, remembering Mark’s words _– ‘I hope that you never find yourself without your fancy car, designer clothes or your precious money little Sebastian, because when you want something I’m going to take great pleasure in that if you ever show up on my doorstep.’_ Not that Mark would get that pleasure, he doubted Mark would appreciate him just showing up, even to take delight in his world crumbling around him. After all, Mark never wanted to see him again. Blinking away his tears he heads towards Jaime’s house; he was the closer of his two friends.

 

*          *          *

  
Sebastian sits against Jaime’s bed picking at the pizza that Nico and Jaime had bought him for dinner. He didn’t have an appetite, and he had no idea how to tell his friends that he never wanted to eat pizza again. Pizza made him think of Mark and thinking of Mark meant he would probably start crying again. And he refused to do that in front of anyone. He concentrates on removing every topping from his pizza, then throwing it at the box and scowling each time he missed.

“Seb?” It’s Nico that first dares to address him directly rather than waiting for him to decide to jump into the forced conversation he and Jaime had going. Sebastian’s only response is to cast a glance at his friend, stare and then go back to de-topping his pizza slice. “We don’t care you know.”

Sebastian stops squishing the chicken piece between his fingers to death, to look back up at his friends.

“I know you think that things are bad,” Jaime was going to jump in now with his helpful advice and Sebastian hurls the piece of chicken at him because they understood nothing. “Hey!” Jaime glares at him. “Why did you do that? I don’t care that you’re gay!”

For the first time Sebastian doesn’t feel the intense need to rush with a reply of ‘I’m not!’ Maybe because there was no point anymore, he had after all admitted that yesterday to every cop in Glenwood, he might as well have said it to everyone in town.

“It will get better Seb,” Nico gives him a hopeful smile and Sebastian refuses to comment.

Though silently he was screaming, ‘ _How_?’ His father had told him to fuck off, he wasn’t allowed home. Everyone knew he was gay, and Mark never, ever, wanted to see him again. Not even to say sorry. All he can think, regret, is that he should have stayed up in the mountains like he wanted. He should have stayed at Mark’s house and never come home.

“Yeah,” Jaime grins at him, “We’ll let you tell us about all your boyfriends.” He falters before adding, “Maybe not the details on all your gay sex though…”

“Though apparently…” Nico points at Sebastian’s bruised throat, “We’ll just have to see it.”

Sebastian wanted no part in this conversation. Tossing his destroyed pizza slice down he gets to his feet. “I’m tired. I want to go to bed.”

“Come on Seb,” Jaime pleads. “It’s still light outside.”

“I said I’m tired! You see how energised you feel when you’ve had to listen to your parents tell you to get out and they don’t want you anymore! Fuck you Jaime!” He shouts for the first time, anger finally exploding out when he had struggled to recall it all day. Desperate to cling to it he storms out and goes to the bathroom. He slams the door and locks it, breathing hard as he backs away from the door, eyes glued to it. He just needed a moment alone. He didn’t want to talk about it; he didn’t want to talk about any of this!

Hands behind his head he stands there, and waits. He half expects his friends to knock on the door, force him back out, make him talk. But he’s left to himself. And relieved Sebastian stumbles back till he hits the wall and he closes his eyes and tries to block out the day. Today he had lost anything that mattered: his father, who told him after his stunt at the police station to ‘get out of his sight’; his mother who’d just stared at him like she didn’t know him anymore; and Mark… Mark who’d walked away from him like he was nothing, like everything between them was nothing. What was left for him here? Nothing.

That has Sebastian freeze, eyes snapping back open the decision made the moment the thought entered his head. Wiping at his eyes roughly Sebastian throws open the bathroom door and heads out. He goes to lie down on Jaime’s bed and then waits. He ignores both Nico and Jaime, pretends to be asleep till its dark, and till he was alone. And then with as little noise as possible, he pulls on a hoodie, grabs his things and sneaks out. He immediately felt better and he was sure the moment he was out of this blasted town, he would definitely feel better. He walks to the highway in no rush, but with every intention of hitchhiking his way out of this hell hole and away from everyone.

 

*          *          *


	20. Chapter 20

Jenson was sitting with David in their patrol car. They’d driven around to check on Mark, who for the last few days seemed to have shut himself off from the world and wasn’t talking to anyone. It had been David’s suggestion that they go around and at least try and talk to him, despite knowing that Mark had made it clear he didn’t want to talk about any of it. Even with the threat of being punched in the face, that’s what friends do, try and cheer each other up.  
  
But neither had made a move to get out, and Jenson could feel the tension between him and David building. Neither of them had had a chance to discuss the fact that Jenson’s secret had been shared with the one person it shouldn’t have been. Nor had Jenson forgiven Lewis for doing that. With Sebastian screwing up Mark’s life, and with Jenson trying his hardest to avoid David, there hadn’t been opportunity till now, and it seemed like now was the time. Jenson shifted uncomfortably in the silence.  
  
“How long?” David eventually breaks it.  
  
“How long what?” Playing dumb is quickly abandoned when David glares across at him. Apparently now wasn’t the time for jokes. “Does it matter?”  
  
“Yes it matters!” David snaps. “It fucking matters Jens! Are we talking months? _Years_?”  
  
Years. That word has Jenson wince, because sometimes he couldn’t believe that was how long he’d let himself go on being obsessed with something he couldn’t have. “I never put my life on hold for you…” It was the truth, not that he could have gone all that time with _no_ sex. Celibate wasn’t even option. And if he could have, Jenson would have changed the way he felt, because it wasn’t easy and it _hurt_.  
  
“Since when?” David’s demand softens. “Do you even know when?”  
  
“Yes.” Jenson knew when it all started, he couldn’t forget that moment when he had first realised that he didn’t want to be friends. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this.” Jenson goes to open the car door; it wasn’t like he was trapped in here and being made to endure this.  
  
“Jenson.” David had grabbed his hand, and now Jenson did feel trapped. “I want to know when.”  
  
Jenson sinks back into his seat and stares out the windscreen. “It hasn’t been forever. We’ve known each other for more than ten years. It hasn’t been that whole time if that’s what you’re thinking.”  
  
“Okay…”  
  
“Sometimes I think if that night hadn’t happened that it would all be different. The way I feel I mean. You know?”  
  
David shook his head. “No I don’t. Clearly. What night are you talking about?”  
  
“You were the guy I joked around with, the guy I loved hanging out with. The guy that mostly kept me from doing something stupid. You were my friend. And then we got that call together…” Jenson trails off because he really doesn’t want to go there and rehash a night both of them wanted to forget, but probably for different reasons.  
  
Jenson watches David’s forehead crinkle up in thought before it smooths back out with realisation, “Oh.” It wasn’t like it was going to be hard to figure out which night Jenson was referring too. More than a decade together as partners, there was only one call they had gotten that had scarred both of them. “Eloise Cummings.” David’s lips pressed tightly together, face hardening, and Jenson knows he’s trying hard to block it out. No one talked about it. Not him, not Mark and definitely not David.  
  
Jenson twists in his seat to look at David, hoping that he’ll be able to explain this in some way that makes sense outside of his head. “It’s not that I didn’t know you weren’t serious, or that you weren’t caring… but watching you, with her. DC you did everything for her, and I’m not talking about you trying to save her, but I mean…” Jenson trails off as all those memories from that night, of DC holding that young girl’s hand, someone he didn’t know, trying to comfort her, save her, do it all, not just so she would live, but so she wouldn’t be _scared_. “She was a stranger, and whether or not you realise this, and I know you think you failed by not saving her, but you didn’t. That’s when I realised the kind of person you are, kind, caring, _strong._ How can I not have loved you?”  
  
“Stop it,” David whispers, voice breaking because it was the one thing none of them talked about. It was the one thing that had nearly broken David, and it had taken a long time for Jenson and Mark to pull David back from that dark place he’d buried himself in. “That was six years ago. You might as well have said forever.”  
  
Jenson watches as David gets out of the car, clearly he didn’t dare continue the conversation if they were going to keep talking about Eloise Cummings and her death. “DC?” Jenson follows after him because he didn’t want them to spiral back into silence. There was no way answering the question ‘since when’ was going to make things all right again between them.  
  
“This isn’t the time to discuss this,” David whispers. “God Jenson, not now. Okay?”  
  
“Sure,” Jenson’s response is sarcastic. “We’ll just pretend then like nothing has happened.”  
  
“Well you’ve been pretending things are fine for six years,” David snaps back in frustration. “So this shouldn’t be too hard for you!”  
  
“Fuck you!” Jenson spins on his heel and storms away. Because he was over ignoring this and David now knowing felt like that wasn’t an option anyway. He was fast approaching his breaking point with this, not that he knew what he’d do when he reached it. He couldn’t seem to work out what to do about any of this.  
  
“Where are you going?” David calls after him.  
  
“To the pub!” Jenson shouts back.  
  
“Drinking is not the answer to this!”  
  
Jenson’s response this time is the finger.

*          *          *

  
Mark had been enjoying himself, lying alone, on his bed, staring at the ceiling. This was now his new favourite pastime. There was no one to bother him, no one he had to deal with. The last thing he wanted was to speak to anyone when he knew that right now that the whole damn town would be talking about him. And currently, he didn’t have the strength, or cared enough, to explain any of it to anyone. When he did dare think about any of it, it made his chest hurt, and thoughts of Sebastian were right there then. He wasn’t angry anymore, he just ached.  
  
“So this is what you’ve been doing for the last three days?”  
  
Mark finds the energy to lift his head off the pillow to see David standing at the end of the bed looking far from impressed. “I thought I asked for my key back…”  
  
David holds it up. “Maybe I’m bringing it back.”  
  
“I don’t want to talk,” Mark lies back down on the bed intent on ignoring David.  
  
“Fine.” David shrugs. “How about a shower? Clean clothes? Because this place is starting to reek.”  
  
Mark doesn’t comment, though he can hear David shuffling around the place, and he knows that David is cleaning. Typical.  
  
“Why can’t you feel sorry for yourself while doing the dishes?” David calls to him from the other room, the sounds of dishes cluttering sounding far too loud.  
  
Rolling over, Mark yanks a pillow over his head to try and block it all out. But it’s soon plucked from his grasp, an annoyed David standing there, apron around his waist, and sleeves rolled up. For a brief moment Mark’s mouth flickers into a smile. “Stop wearing aprons.”  
  
“But I don’t want to wet my pants,” David looks down at his white trousers, hands smoothing out the apron covering them. “I like these pants.”  
  
Mark sighs and stares at David, waiting for the questions to start, but they don’t come. Nothing. He hesitates, “You really not going to bring it up?”  
  
David shrugs. “You said you didn’t want to talk about it. So we won’t for now. Can you please get up and shower, shave and begin to be human again?”  
  
Mark doesn’t move immediately before he sighs and sits up. It felt like the greatest effort. “Why isn’t Jenson here? I expected he’d want to be here and nag at me as well.”  
  
Mark watches David go stiff. “He’s drowning his issues at the pub. I wish you’d think of doing the same, at least you’d actually go outside. Hiding in your apartment is not a solution.”  
  
Mark shoots him a warning look, because this felt like they were getting close to a topic he didn’t want to discuss. David raises his hands, “I’m not bringing it up. Go shower.”  
  
“Fine.” Mark actually does feel a little better after he’s cleaned up and in fresh clothes. Wandering into the other room, David was waiting with a coffee for him and a sandwich, something that his stomach makes noises at. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had last eaten. He’d run out of pizzas two days ago. Sitting down, Mark devours the sandwich within minutes, not even knowing what was on it. When he’s done he sees not only that David was sitting opposite him, but he looked ready to talk, but Mark wasn’t. “Why is Jenson drinking at 11am in the morning?”  
  
“Because like you, he don’t want to deal with his problems right now,” David answers bluntly.  
  
“You fucking hurt him and I’ll punch you.”  
  
“Lovely. Thank you,” David responds sarcastically. “Let me remind you that right now, I have done nothing wrong.”  
  
“What? Besides being blind to the obvious?”  
  
David’s eyes narrow. “And how long did you know?”  
  
Mark shrugs. “A few weeks? Did he tell you how long?” For the first time since he had hidden himself away in his apartment, Mark found something he wanted to talk about.  
  
“We’re not talking about it,” David shakes his head. He stops then, reconsiders and amends that with, “I’ll talk about Jenson if we can talk about that person whose name I’m not allowed to mention.”  
  
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Mark’s voice goes icy, shutting down. “I fucked up. I won’t make that mistake again.”  
  
Mark watches as David struggles to hold back a response, but not even his best glare keeps it from finally bursting out. “It’s not your fault. And it’s not Sebastian’s fault! You should go talk to him and stop sitting here counting cracks in your ceiling and hiding away!” David sinks back into his chair, seemingly happier to have gotten that off his chest, Mark on the other hand is on his feet and walking back to his bed. “Oh come on!” David calls after him. “Seriously? You’re just going to live in there?”  
  
In his room, Mark stares at the bed suddenly having no desire to lie down. He needed to do _something_. He jumps when David touches his arm. “I’m fine,” he says shaking him off before he can ask the question. His mind was ticking over where he could go that wasn’t here. “I hate this place. My fucking crappy apartment. Fucking Glenwood.”  
  
“Please,” David rolls his eyes. “You love this place.” He watches as Mark starts grabbing at random items of clothing. “What are you doing?”  
  
“Getting away.”  
  
“Of course,” David nods. “That’s how you deal with your Seb problems. Pack a bag, go stay in your hermit house away from civilisation.” He moves to lie down on the bed, making himself comfortable as he watches Mark move around determinedly.  
  
“You make it seem like I’m running away,” Mark mutters, stopping to sniff a shirt to see if it was clean.  
  
“You are, but it might not be a bad thing if you’re going to clear your head. Come back, sort things out with Sebas… _people_.” David flashes a hopeful smile across the room ignoring the death look he was being given. “Oh please, like you’re not going to end up with him. You’ll call him, and he’ll be waiting. You two are really that predictable. Jenson would be here blabbering on about true love if he had half the chance. Though I think it’s those bloody chick flicks he’s been watching in his time off making it all worse.”  
  
“Which chick flicks?” Mark looked half interested as he stops stuffing a duffle bag.  
  
David shakes his head. “I wouldn’t ask.”  
  
“You need to sort things out with Jenson,” Mark states firmly.  
  
“If you’re going to take time to sort things out, I think I will too.”  
  
Mark realises that he can’t find a reason to argue that without looking like a hypocrite. Pursing his lips he pauses before offering, “Want to take a few days off?” When David gives me an interested look, Mark continues. “You want to come up to the house with me? We can take some time out to think and dwell on our respective issues…”  
  
“This sounds like it’s a recipe for disaster Mark.”  
  
That was probably true. Depressed, hurt, drinking with an ex… _definitely_ a recipe for disaster. “I could use a hand anyway. I need to clear the place of rubbish.” Maybe putting another spin on it would entice David because suddenly Mark didn’t want to be alone. He enjoyed David’s company, and maybe this would be an opportunity to help David sort out his head and deal with Jenson.  
  
There’s a long silence before David nods. “Fine. I’ll be your free labour.”  
  
Mark grins. “Good. If I get the placed cleaned up, then I can move up there.”  
  
David’s smile vanished with a sigh. “Of course, it’s all part you’re running away plan. Jenson would call you an idiot. And for once, I’d agree with him.”

*          *          *

  
Mark pulled his truck to a stop outside the garage. He wasn’t planning on doing any work on the house besides getting David to help him clear out the piles of building rubbish that had accumulated. “I got a bit in the garage, but most of its round back near the rocks,” Mark tells David as they get out of the truck. He figured that once they got that done, they could drink. Probably a lot.  
  
“I can’t believe this place is so close to being finished,” David was impressed.  
  
Mark can’t muster any enthusiasm at all at the moment so he doesn’t comment. He just throws open the garage door as David says he’ll walk down the back to see how many loads it was going to take. Mark just heads to the stairs, racing up them without a glance to get himself a cool drink. He couldn’t believe how hot it was today. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge he stops when he sees dishes in the sink.  
  
He looks around, the place appeared empty… he walks around, stopping when he sees a coffee cup sitting near a pole in the room that Sebastian had loved the most. “Sebastian?” he calls out unsure. Going over, Mark puts his finger in the coffee, noting it was on the cooler side of lukewarm. Standing up he looks across the unfinished floor noting that the plywood had been disturbed; in fact, one sheet was missing.  
  
“Mark!” David screams his name and Mark jumps at the hysteria in the tone.  
  
He rushes out the back to the balcony and looks over the edge. David was kneeling near the pile of scrap that was exactly under the room with the plywood. But what was unmissable from this point of view was Sebastian lying on the top of it. His heart stops, everything stops before adrenaline kicks in and he heaves himself over the railing and starts climbing down to the rocks.  
  
Mark doesn’t even feels the sharp surface cutting into the bare skin on his legs, nor does he register the pain when he jumps the last few metres to the ground. He scrambles towards Sebastian and David who was now on his phone calling an ambulance. “Seb? Sebi?”  
  
When he gets to him he crawls up the pile of building waste to see Sebastian lying on his stomach, eyes wide and completely still. “Fuck Seb,” Mark chokes out, grabbing his hand that was closest. When he does, Sebastian blinks. “Sebi?” He wasn’t dead, that was all that registered at that moment with the simple movement.  
  
“Mark?” Sebastian gasps his name.  
  
“Yeah, it’s me, I’m here,” Mark says kissing his hand hard.  
  
“Can’t see you…” Sebastian goes to move his head.  
  
“Don’t move,” Mark orders, “Just a second…” Mark climbs higher trying to position himself so he could lie next to him without disturbing anything. “Can you see me now?”  
  
“Yes,” Sebastian answers when Mark rests his face inches from his and his eyes well with tears. “M… sorry,” he forces out.  
  
“Its okay mate,” Mark murmurs, petting his hair furiously, “It doesn’t matter now.” He sits up then wanting to see if Seb was injured, but he looked okay, no obvious injuries, he leans over to check the other side and he sees Seb’s left arm was twisted awkwardly. Just a broken arm that was alright, that was fixable.  
  
“Don’t go,” Sebastian sobs when Mark disappears from sight.  
  
Mark moves back into Seb’s line of vision. “I’m still here,” he murmurs, “Not going anywhere.”  
  
“Mark…” Sebastian’s eyes slide closed for a long moment before reopening them, “M cold…”  
  
“Cold?” Mark echoes, it was hot, not cold. Fear pounds through him as he looks back over Sebastian for blood loss. “What hurts Sebi?” he asks when he sees nothing.  
  
“No pain…” Sebastian whispers, “Just… cold.”  
  
Terrified, Mark shoots a look back at David who on the phone and talking to emergency services. “Check him injuries,” David orders. “Carefully.”  
  
“Okay,” Mark nods carefully slipping a hand under Seb to see if he was injured on his chest or stomach. When he gets to Sebastian’s stomach, it’s warm and wet, and his knuckles bump some long piece of metal.  
  
The little knock makes Sebastian begin to pant furiously before he cries out, “Argghhhhh!”  
  
Mark rips his hand back knowing something had impaled him. “I’m sorry, sorry, sorry,” Mark says desperately as he grips Seb’s hair tightly. He looks at his hand that was drenched in blood and tears fill his eyes and he thinks he is going to be sick.  
  
“I’ll be back,” David promises before rushing back inside as Mark turns his attention back to Sebastian, who seemed permanently short of breath now.  
  
“Bad?” His blue eyes filled with tears look at him fearfully.  
  
“No,” Mark lies, grabbing his hand once more and trying not to scare him anymore. “You’ll be fine, just a scratch.”  
  
“I love you,” Sebastian whispers.  
  
“I know.” Tears flood Mark’s eyes. “I love you too, so fucking much.” He can’t stop the sobs that leave him now, he can feel Sebastian’s grip getting slacker. “Sebi stay with me,” he begs kissing his mouth. “I need you.”  
  
“M-mark, ‘m cold…” Sebastian repeats his voice now barely a whisper.  
  
“I know, and there’s an ambulance coming…”  
  
“Dun wanna die…” he pants.  
  
“You’re not going to die!” Mark shouts at him. “You hear me? You are not going to die!” Sebastian swallows and Mark goes back to petting his hair, apologising for shouting, telling him over and over that he loves him, crying as he does.  
  
“Move.” David was next to him, phone gone. “It’s going to take some time for the ambulance to get here. So we need to stop the bleeding as much as possible.”  
  
“Don’t move him!” Mark shouts. He’d seen enough medical shows that said don’t move anyone.  
  
“Mark,” David says gripping his upper arm tightly. “Sebastian will bleed out _before_ help comes if we don’t do something. If you don’t help me with this, he is going to _die_.”  
  
Mark stares at him, frozen and terrified. He blinks and looks back at Sebastian who was unmoving, breaths shallower and face almost white. ‘ _He is going to die.’_ The words swirl in his head before he nods. “Okay.”  
  
“Okay,” David nods. “We’re going to lift straight up, try not to cause more damage and rest him on the ground. Okay?” David speaks slowly ensuring that Mark understood each step, and Mark can see that David had gotten some towels, alcohol and the first aid kit from the garage.  
  
“Okay,” Mark repeats feeling slightly dazed. Both he and David manoeuvre themselves on either side of Sebastian. “His arm…” Mark looks down at the twisted limb.  
  
“Forget it,” David snaps trying to get his attention back. “That’s not what’s going to kill him.”  
  
David had a hand under Sebastian and Mark whispers, “Don’t… you’ll hurt him.” Mark had returned to stroking Sebastian’s hair, waiting for him to cry out again, but there’s just a pained grunt this time.  
  
“Okay, you felt it?”  
  
“Yes,” Mark whispers, though he wished he didn’t.  
  
“It’s not big, I don’t know how deep it is though… so straight up?”  
  
Mark nods as they both slip their hands underneath Sebastian, spreading the weight.  
  
“On three. Slowly.”  
  
Mark just nods again, sure that he was going to be sick, unlike David who was being so calm. He’d never seen this David before, but then again he’d never be with David in a situation like this before.  
  
“Mark!” David snaps at him again and Mark focuses back on the task. When they lift, Sebastian was no longer silent.  
  
“Stop!” It’s the only word Sebastian can get out; the rest is just cries, his body jerking the moment he was lifted free. Heavy drops of blood fall to the ground as David and Mark remove Sebastian from the top of the pile of rubbish; the stained patch of building scrap shows the extent of blood loss.  
  
“David?” Mark wasn’t sure how Sebastian had any blood left. He wants to be sick. He wants to throw up but David was yelling at him. He falls to the ground next to David, watching as he worked, watching the blood pool from Sebastian’s stomach wound. But whenever David asked for something, asked him to do anything, he did, immediately. When David was pushing down with all his strength on Sebastian’s abdomen, Sebastian had gone pale to dead white, body taut, eyes wide with pain, tears leaking from the corners.  
  
“Just breathe Sebi,” Mark pleads him, moving back into his line of sight. “Just breathe.”  
  
“Stooooooooooop.” Sebastian doesn’t have the strength to put up a fight but he has managed to find his voice, crying out in obvious pain. “Mark. Please, _please_ tell him to stop!”  
  
Mark presses his face to Sebastian’s, feeling everything shatter inside at Sebastian’s begging. “It’s okay. I promise.”  
  
“Don’t,” Sebastian repeats choking out the word, the sharp shrill in his voice gone this time, but Mark doesn’t think the pain is any less. “Don’t Mark. Love you. Don’t. _Stop_ …”  
  
“Sebi,” Mark whispers one hand hugging his head. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”  
  
“Stop,” Sebastian gasps, but Mark can see how fast he’s fading.  
  
“David?” Mark stares down at his friend panicking.  
  
“We have to wait,” David tells him, and Mark can see he’s putting more pressure on the wound.  
  
He feels Sebastian suddenly go slack and Mark whips back around to look at him. “Seb?”  
  
“He passed out,” David tells him. “It’s a good thing. He won’t be in pain.”  
  
Mark just thinks he looks like death. He pushes shaky fingers into Sebastian’s throat to look for a pulse.  
  
“He’s alive still,” David assures him.  
  
And Mark nods and leans back over Sebastian returning to patting his hair even if he was passed out. “It’s okay Sebi,” he murmurs. “You’ll be okay. Don’t fucking die on me.” The sound of sirens fading in was pure bliss. “They’re here now Sebi. You’ll be okay. I promise. I promise.” Mark whispers, kissing his bloodless lips. “Promise.”

*          *          *


	21. Chapter 21

Jenson was at the hospital first, David had rung ahead. He wasn’t here for Sebastian, but for Mark, or more for David because the super incredibly calm David on the phone had Jenson worried. There had only been one time previously when David had been forced into a similar situation, and he wanted to be there when David realised he didn’t have to be that person anymore.  
  
He was pacing in the emergency triage entry wishing for the millionth time that Mark hadn’t gone and built a fucking house so far from civilisation because it was probably a forty minute drive, even with speeding to make it to the first hospital that could cater for serious injuries. Dr. Watkins, Glenwood’s one man doctor, dentist and hospital, as lovely a chap as he was, wasn’t equipped to deal with anymore more than broken bones and superficial cuts. For anything major, it required a trip to the next town and to a full fledged hospital.  
  
The doors burst open and Jenson whirls around to see ambulance officers wheeling in a patient. “We have a twenty two year old, white male. Severe bleeding and trauma to the abdomen.” One of the ambulance officers was talking loudly to nurses and doctors pulling on gloves and joining them. And for a moment Jenson didn’t even recognise it was Sebastian.  
  
The shirt he was wearing was ripped open, stained red along with his stomach. There was blood everywhere, on his face and in his hair even. Jenson follows after them wanting to know what was going on as he stares at the limp and deathly white figure of Sebastian. How could that be Sebastian? How could he be so still and pale when he was normally so annoying and _alive_?  
  
“We’re going need to blood,” the ambulance officer was still rattling off stats. “BP is low, he crashed twice…” Jenson picks up the pace when they disappear into the next set of swinging doors that say ‘Staff Only’.  
  
“Sir.” There’s a nurse blocking his path. “You’ll need to wait in a designated waiting area.”  
  
Jenson feels for his badge ready to explain he was an officer and he needed to be kept in sight of a suspected fugitive but he didn’t have his badge. He was suspended. He blinks at the nurse who smiled at him sympathetically. “Right,” he whispers nodding.  
  
“You need to wait outside. Someone will come and see you when there’s news,” she promises.  
  
Again Jenson nods, before he returns to waiting. What else was he meant to do? He wasn’t sure how long he had been seated for before _finally_ Mark and David arrive. David was looking pale, it’s the first thing Jenson noticed, and then it was the blood. All the fucking blood. Both of them seemed to be covered in it, their hands and clothes…  
  
“Where is he?” Mark demands grabbing the front of Jenson’s shirt desperately. “I want to see him. Where did they take him?”  
  
“He’s in surgery,” Jenson states, trying not to think about the blood that was going to be transferred onto his shirt from Mark’s hands because there seemed to far too much of it at the moment. He wasn’t feeling so well. “You have to wait Mark. He’ll be okay.” Jenson didn’t believe that, Sebastian looked _dead_. But he couldn’t say that, this was that moment when you lied and it was okay to lie.  
  
“I need to wash my hands,” David states suddenly and Jenson looks over to see David hurrying away, and he stares between his two friends as Mark had used the opportunity to hurry down the corridor, clearly on a mission to find Sebastian, torn between which one to go after.  
  
He chooses Mark. “Hey,” Jenson says catching up to him as Mark slams through the ‘staff only’ door he’d been asked to go back through. “You need to wait. You can’t do anything for him right now Mark.”  
  
“Bloody hell, yes I can,” Mark snaps, shaking the arm Jenson had caught free as he dodges the same nurse that had asked him to wait. “You think I’m going to leave him with a bunch of strangers right now?”  
  
“Mark, _listen_ ,” Jenson pleads with him moving to block his path.  
  
Mark stops, eyes wild and angry. “No! _You_ listen!” Mark shouts at him. “He needs me! He’s in there and he’s _alone_. No one in there cares if he lives or dies! And if he does die…” Mark chokes on that one word. “I need to be there so he’s not alone. I need…he needs me,” he finishes off, eyes pained and pleading. “Jens, please let me be there.”  
  
Jenson can see there was security arriving. “You can’t Mark,” he whispers upset, because he did understand. “That’s not how this works. You’ll be in the road, and the people in there are trying to _save_ his life. Let them do their job. Seb’s a fighter, he’ll pull through. _I promise_.” Jenson hates himself for saying that, hates the ‘I promise’ because that was worse than a lie.  
  
Mark crumples then, face and body sagging with defeat. Jenson leads him back out and seats him. “We just need to wait,” he repeats watching as Mark buried his face in his hands. “He’ll be okay. I know he’ll be okay.” He started with the lies, no point holding back now.  
  
Jenson stays with Mark for a while before he gets up to hunt down David who still hadn’t returned from cleaning up. Jenson finds him sitting in the men’s bathroom, back against the far wall, hands clean as he tried to keep breathing deeply.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Jenson says pained. “I wish I was there with you.” He would have happily traded places with David this afternoon if that would have helped.  
  
“He’s going to die just like her,” David responds, voice cracking.  
  
“You don’t know that,” Jenson moves to sit next to him. “ _You don’t know_.”  
  
“There was so much blood,” David whispers. “Too much blood. Just like her. Too much.”  
  
Jenson reaches over to squeeze David’s clasped hands. “Sebastian isn’t Eloise Cummings.” Though he didn’t doubt that it must feel the same, and Jenson isn’t sure he could go through it all again, didn’t think David could either, but maybe he had… today.  
  
David’s head slumps to the wall before turning to look at Jenson. “Mark won’t survive this if Sebastian dies.”  
  
“Let’s wait to see if we have to worry about that,” Jenson reaches up to rub at a smudge of blood on his cheek bone.  
  
“Stop,” David whispers to him and Jenson does, hand dropping, and it has David close his eyes before clarifying, “Stop waiting for me.”  
  
Jenson freezes before his body sags back into the wall, hurt at the request. “I can’t.”  
  
“I’m far more fucked up than Sebastian, Jenson,” David whispers, refusing to open his eyes. “God, you’re being an idiot.”  
  
“Probably,” Jenson shrugs but it goes unnoticed with David refusing to look at him.  
  
“I don’t understand…” David’s eyes flash open looking tired, the usual pain that was there brighter than ever. “I fucked up with Mark, I fucked around, and I destroyed _everything_ we had together. No one wants…”  
  
Jenson cuts him off, pressing his lips to David’s to silence him. And Jenson doesn’t pull away, just keeps kissing him on the floor of the men’s room until David responds, kissing him back, and then deepening the kiss. Jenson shifts to wind his arms around David trying to pull him closer as they continue to kiss, David’s hand now in his hair, the kiss becoming more urgent before David suddenly pulled away.  
  
“This isn’t the time,” David tells him shakily, now short of breath. “God… _not now_.”  
  
Jenson was slightly dazed from their kiss, he wanted more but David was already on his feet and then moments later gone. Jenson remains still, catching his breath, attempting to pull himself together, because David was right, now wasn’t the time. Getting up, he heads back to Mark where David had sat himself down. He deliberately sits on the other side of Mark and waits there.  
  
All three of them witness the arrival of Sebastian’s parents, an hysterical Marina and a raging John Vettel. For a father that apparently didn’t love his son, he was making an outright scene in his bid to get information then and there. Despite whatever issues Sebastian had with his parents, Jenson could see there was no denying that they loved him. When it was finally clear that his parents would have to wait just like the rest of them, the three of them find themselves sitting opposite Sebastian’s parents.  
  
John points a finger straight at Mark. “If my son dies, I will make you _pay_.”  
  
Mark was clearly too exhausted to fight because he just drops his head back to his hands, hands that were still covered with dry blood. It has Sebastian’s mother let out a sob before she gets to her feet and rushes away. John remains where he was shooting daggers straight at Mark.  
  
It takes a lot of effort for Jenson to not get up and punch him in the face. He moves to sit on his hands and stares at the clock for the millionth time. How much longer were they going to be forced to wait?


	22. Chapter 22

Sebastian opens his eyes, head on something soft. There was so much light, it hurt his eyes. He blinks, not sure what to focus on: the dull pain in his arm; the sharp stabbing in stomach; or the heaviness on his shoulder. He turns his head and seeing a mop of dark hair, he moves closer, and breathes in. Mark. His Mark. He smiles before he drifts back off unable to fight the pull from the drugs.

*          *          *

  
The stirring under Mark woke him. He sat up at the sound of a grunt not realising how much he’d thrown himself over Sebastian’s chest. “Seb?” Sitting up, there’s a sigh then before Sebastian’s eyes flutter open. Mark’s hand buries in the blonde hair of the man in the hospital bed, relief flooding him as he stares into those confused blue eyes, he didn’t think he’d ever see them again. “Welcome back mate,” he says hoarsely.  
  
“Mark…” Sebastian smiles groggily as he tries to twist his face towards Mark’s hand. Mark obliges, stroking his cheek instead, “Love you…”  
  
“I love you too,” Mark whispers bending down to kiss his temple. “How are you feeling? You in pain, want anything?”  
  
Sebastian had closed his eyes but they reopen at the questions, “Water?”  
  
Mark pours him a cup and Sebastian goes to sit up, only to let out a yelp of pain. Mark whips around to see Sebastian sinking back into the bed and clutching his stomach. “Don’t move, you’ll pull your stitches,” he chastises gently. Mark grabs a straw before helping Seb to sip at the water. Sebastian looked out of it, mumbling about random things that made no sense as he tried to get as close to Mark as possible.  
  
“You should get some rest,” Mark murmurs dragging his lips across Seb’s still mumbling ones. “You need it to recover.”  
  
“’K…” Sebastian whispers, letting his eyes slip closed again almost immediately. “We’ll go to the house after…”  
  
Mark smiles, “Yeah we can mate…” Anything that Sebastian wanted he’d give him. He’d do anything for him. He loved him more than anything, and he was going to be okay. Sebastian was going to be okay. He sits next to the bed, hand clutching Sebastian’s good one tightly. He was going to be okay.  
  
The doctors had made similar remarks, brought positive news since Sebastian had undergone successful surgery two days before. But their words hadn’t meant anything, hadn’t done anything to quell his endless worry, hadn’t given him a moment of peaceful sleep. But now... Mark’s lips brush the back of Sebastian’s finger feeling relief finally seep its way in. Sebastian woke up, Sebastian was no longer an unconscious, pale figure in bed. For the first time, Mark finally lets himself believe that Sebastian was going to be fine.  
  
The deep breaths he draws, soon became shaky, shoulders shuddering with silent sobs. He’d nearly lost this, nearly believed he could live without him. He’d been so stupid, so fucking stupid. If he’d lost Sebastian, like this, after everything and that stupid bloody house, he’d _never_ have forgiven himself. Never. “I’ll make it up to you,” Mark mumbles against his hand before lifting his head to look across at Sebastian’s sleeping form. “Anything you want. _Anything_. I just need you to get better first…”  
  
Mark’s head snaps to the door of Sebastian’s room, eyes meeting those of Marina Vettel. Mark drops Sebastian’s hand hurriedly, the heels of his palms brushing away the unshed tears in his eyes before shakily getting to his feet. The last two days he’d been at the hospital had involved awkward moments with Sebastian’s mother for the most part. She hadn’t said a single word to him though, not one. Though there was no hiding the questions that lurked beneath her saddened expression, not that she voiced them.  
  
“He woke up,” Mark blurts it out, backing away from the bed in the hopes that putting space between him and her son would make this feel less awkward.  
  
For a moment, Marina brightens, lighting up just a little before she’s rushing to her son’s side. “What did he say? Is he in pain? I should have been here. I just went to get some lunch…”  
  
“He didn’t say much,” Mark cuts her off trying not to let the jealousy bite at him too hard as she fawned over her sleeping son. He wanted to do that. “Said he was thirsty and then went back to sleep.” Mark watches Marina kiss Sebastian’s cheek before straightening back up, her eyes fixed on Mark. And before Mark can second guess himself he let’s the word slip out, “I love him.”  
  
There’s a pained expression in Sebastian’s mother eyes before they’re closed and her face turns away. Those words weren’t a comfort clearly, but Mark wants her to know, wants her to try and understand this. “I know you want something different for Sebastian, and I know how hard he tried to be that person. But I love him and if he wants me…”  
  
“Mark,” Marina’s voice is shaky, her hand held up to silence him. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but this isn’t something I can hear right now. Please?”  
  
“Okay,” he replies slowly, nodding his head, though Mark had no clue why he was nodding. He wasn’t sure how to approach this, but his only concern right now was ensuring that he could be there for Sebastian if he was wanted, and it would be easier if he didn’t have to fight Sebastian’s parents; not that had been an issue so far. While Mark didn’t hold much hope, he was trying to smooth things out for Sebastian with his parents. Well at least with his mother, John Vettel he wasn’t prepared to make the same offer too.  
  
“I’d like to sit with him for a bit,” Marina stares back longingly at Sebastian before shooting a glance once more at Mark. “If that’s okay with you?” It wasn’t that Marina hadn’t spent time with her son in hospital, it was more that Mark hadn’t left Sebastian’s side for a moment more than he had too. It was clear Marina wanted a moment alone and Mark finds himself hesitating.  
  
Marina sighs sadly, “I asked him to leave, offered him a bag clothes and let his father shut the door in his face. I’m not an imbecile Mark. When Sebastian wakes up, I am under no illusion over who he will want to see, and it won’t be me. I just want to mend things the best I can…”  
  
“Sure,” Mark heads to the door. “I’ll get some coffee.” He stops though, hand resting on the doorhandle as he thinks about Sebastian and his parents, and how badly Sebastian craved their acceptance. “He’d want that,” he tells her quietly. “To fix things. But don’t ask him to sacrifice who he is.” The last part is said in a way that would leave no doubt about what he was implying, and the small nod Marina gives him Mark takes to be that she understood.  
  
He slips outside the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. He hated being outside the room. He felt like he’d been removed from a position he could control something. It dawned on Mark how little he’d spent away from Sebastian’s side. Marina really hadn’t had a moment alone with her son. She’d probably been biting her tongue for days to ask him to leave.  
  
Deciding on coffee as a distraction, Mark walks on autopilot to the coffee machine, his feet knowing the path well. Jenson and David had been his coffee fetchers for the first day, but he’d ushered them both of them home for proper sleep the next. Mark comes to an abrupt stop at the figure poking at buttons on the coffee vendor machine and sucks in his breath.  
  
John Vettel.  
  
Mark hadn’t seen him since the waiting room, and that felt like a lifetime ago. He had seen Marina hovering somewhere within sight of Sebastian nearly constantly, but as for Sebastian’s father, he’d been keeping out of sight. Mark had assumed he’d pissed off, but clearly John had been closer by than he had realised.  
  
The swell of anger was fierce and sudden, leaving Mark no time to reel himself in. Instead, before sense could settle in, he was gripping John Vettel’s shirt with one hand, the other flying through the air, making sharp contact with Sebastian’s father’s nose with a sickening snap that sees John’s head snap back.  
  
Breathing hard, anger coursing through his veins, Mark shoves John back, watching the older man stumble, dazed and shocked at the unexpected attack. “That was for having me arrested,” his voice was shaky, low and threatening. Despite the throb in his hand, he was itching to hit the man again.  
  
Having recovered from the unexpected attack, John’s eyes were darkening with anger as his fingers shakily touch at his now bleeding nose. “What a surprise that you’re turning out to be like your father.”  
  
The words bite hard at Mark, his anger faltering before flaring brighter at the reference to his own father; the person he strived so hard to not be. “I have had wanted to hit you for the longest time, I thought it would make me feel better. Turns out that was a waste of energy. You’re not worth it. You’re not worth anything, you deserve nothing. I can’t wait for the day when Sebastian realises how not worth it you are.” Mark’s fingers flex instinctively by his side, and he backs away because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to not keep pounding the man into the ground if he took another swing.  
  
“I hope you realise,” John pauses to once more wipe at his nose, attempting to clean his face, “That I’m going to do everything I can to make you pay for this.”  
  
Mark just shakes his head. “I am not some kid you can bully and manipulate to get what you want. I am not afraid of you. I’m not Sebastian. Good luck with the threats mate.”  
  
It’s only when Mark has turned his back to stalk off does John call after him, “I hope you realise that this is just a phase when it comes to Sebastian. That boy could never make his mind up about anything! He will see he has made a mistake…”  
  
Mark whirls around, sucking his breath. “Why the hell are you here? You need to fuck off!” He doesn’t care that he raises his voice, screw being discreet. “I had a shit a father, so let me assure you I’m an expert on identifying shit fathers, and you’re ticking every damn box! Sebastian would love to have a perfect happy family, I know he loves you, wants your approval, but he doesn’t _need_ it. You want to do him any kind of favour, you’ll piss off, and close the door like you did the other week! In fact, if you dare step a foot near him…” Mark straightens himself up till he was towering above the fuming older man, “I’ll ensure you live to regret it. And I don’t make threats John. I make promises. Remember that the next time you dare think to fuck with your son’s head.”  
  
And that’s all Mark can think to say. He turns and walks away then, putting distance between them before he could think about decking him again because it would be bloody tempting. Shaking the pain from his hand, Mark returns to Sebastian’s room and to his seat beside his bed. Marina had her time and Mark wasn’t going to give up a minute of his more than he had too.

*          *          *

  
It had been a week since Sebastian had been in hospital. And while Jenson had been popping around to make sure Mark was actually eating and looking after himself while he hovered around a mostly unconscious Sebastian, he hadn’t been around to really visit Sebastian himself. It didn’t matter if he didn’t blame Sebastian for what happened with the rape and arrest thing, they were most definitely _not_ friends. And he wasn’t going to forgive him for all the other drama he had caused, like getting him suspended. Mark seemingly had forgiven and forgotten everything he’d been pissed about, blinded with love and falling for the old fashion ‘nearly killing yourself to make someone forgive you’ ploy.  
  
And that was why he was currently ignoring David; David wanted Jenson to accompany him on an actual visit to see Sebastian. He was doing everything he could to avoid that task.  
  
“Jenson, will you please stop reading Twilight and just grab a jacket?” David was losing patience. “The hospital has restricted visiting hours for patients in ICU.”  
  
“I’m in the middle of a good part… Bella is being soppy,” Jenson tries to wave him ahead. “Go and give Mark my love and my hate to Sebastian.”  
  
Jenson lets out a surprised gasp when the book is yanked clear from his hands. “Please stop reading this shit. I don’t care if your mother suggested you join a book club. And right now, regardless of how you feel about Sebastian, Mark cares about him and Mark needs his friends. So suck it up!”  
  
Jenson blinks at him taken aback by David’s sudden forcefulness. “God that was hot,” he breathes out to David. He knows he should have filtered that through his brain, but it had momentarily shut down. David had stiffened, eyes widening slightly as they touched on that taboo topic that hadn’t been broached since their kiss. “Okay! I’ll go. But I’m not bringing flowers and I’m not…”  
  
“I bought flowers,” David interrupts. “And I signed the card from both of us.”  
  
Jenson stops and breaks into a smile. “Like we’re a couple?” Jenson had hoped to push them towards a discussion but David winces. And David’s continued silence, even now just looking away like nothing happened, has Jenson stomp out to the car letting David carry the flowers and a gift. He was over waiting.  
  
“Get in the car Jens,” David mutters and before Jenson can think of asking he adds, “No you can’t drive.”  
  
“Can we use the sirens?” Jenson was missing work badly.  
  
“The last time you played cops and robbers got you suspended,” David reminds him but he does flash him a smile before turning on the sirens as they leave.  
  
  
Walking in both he and David give acknowledging smiles to Sebastian’s friends, Jaime and Nico, who were smiling back – at least smiles were good things, Sebastian hadn’t gone and died during the night. Not that that was likely according to his doctors, Sebastian was set to make a full recovery. Despite that, Jenson was still surprised to walk into Sebastian’s private room to find him sitting up and alert.  
  
“You’re awake?” David smiles widely stopping at the foot of the bed where Sebastian was propped up on a mountain of pillows; Mark on his left, his mother on his right.  
  
Jenson looks between the two; he could feel the tension that was there. Mark had a hand buried in Sebastian’s hair, while his mother was holding his good hand and petting it comfortingly.  
  
“Can you pass me my water?”  
  
Mark and Marina both lean to grab it, Mark snatching it up first, much to the annoyance of Sebastian’s mother who was glaring at Mark as he offered it to Sebastian. “Here Sebi.”  
  
Sebastian takes the tiniest sip and smiles at Mark. “Thanks.”  
  
Oh god. Jenson rolls his eyes. No wonder Sebastian was so happy. He had two people willing to fawn all over him and fight to do it. This was _heaven_ for Sebastian; Jenson didn’t doubt it for a moment.  
  
“How are you feeling?” David asks there was amusement in his features as well; clearly aware of what was going on.  
  
Sebastian lets out a dramatic sigh at the question, sagging back into his pillows. “Tired and sore.”  
  
“Do you want more pain medication?” Marina asks concerned. “Can I get a doctor for you?”  
  
“And an ice cream?” he asks hopefully.  
  
“Of course Sebi,” she promises kissing his cheek hard.  
  
The moment Marina has left the room, Mark is sitting on the bed, hugging Sebastian properly, just about curled around him, albeit carefully. Sebastian doesn’t push him away, just hugs Mark’s arm, eyes zeroing in on the gift in David’s arms. “What did you get me?”  
  
“He’s playing you.” Jenson needed a brick to hit Mark over the head with.  
  
“Of course he is,” Mark says kissing his cheek.  
  
“But I’m allowed because I got impaled and nearly died,” Sebastian snaps. “So!” He pokes his tongue out at Jenson before turning his attention to David, and back on his present.  
  
“Just ignore him,” David suggests handing over the gift. “I do.”  
  
The remark stung but Jenson doesn’t react. Instead watches Sebastian rip into his gift while Mark put the flowers with all the others he’d received.  
  
It was a model kit of a Formula 1 car. “Thought if you were going to be stuck in bed you might get bored,” David explains as Sebastian turns the box over to read the back. “With all your experience working with Mark, figured you’d be a pro at building it.”  
  
Mark snorts at that. “Ask him to name a tool.”  
  
“Wrench,” Sebastian mutters not looking up from the box.  
  
“And one more?”  
  
“Jenson.”  
  
Mark whacks Sebastian across the back of the head as David laughs. And Jenson purses his lips and mutters, “I need coffee.” He walks out then; he wasn’t sure why he was made to be here anyway. Mark looked happy, he wasn’t needed, and David had just dragged him along so Sebastian could call him a tool.  
  
“Hey wait up.” Mark jogs to catch up before falling instep next to him. “You okay?”  
  
“Fine,” Jenson forces a smile quickening his pace hoping that Mark would turn around and just go back.  
  
“Stop,” Mark says grabbing his arm. “What is it? Seb hurt your feelings?”  
  
“No,” Jenson replies huffily coming to a stop. “I’ve been called far worse than a tool in my life.”  
  
“Then why are you leaving?”  
  
“I’m getting a coffee.”  
  
“Mate, you’re following the exit signs. I’m not stupid.” He points his thumb over his shoulder, “Plus, coffee machine is that way. Had enough of them to know.”  
  
Jenson pushes a hand through his hair frustrated. “I just need some air. I’m not going anywhere. I can’t. David’s my ride.” Though the thought of getting a cab back to Glenwood was lurking in his head, because he wasn’t sure he wanted another silent ride of car sirens.  
  
“You and David okay?” Mark presses gently.  
  
“Perfect,” Jenson’s sarcasm isn’t even attempted at being hidden. But Mark doesn’t react, just keeps staring, eyes locked with his, trying to read something from him. “We’re fine; we’re just not happy sunshine rays and rainbows like you and Seb.”  
  
“Please,” Mark snorts. “We are anything but that. We are not okay. We haven’t talked about anything. I have no idea where things stand. Don’t think this is simple and easy. Things are just as complicated for me.”  
  
“Mark, even if it takes you and Sebastian another twenty years to sort things out, you’re still going to get it; a happy ending. I’m not saying you didn’t love David, but this is different. You’re different with him. And whatever Sebastian says he wants, you’ll give him because you are _that_ whipped. If it’s that you never tell anyone that you’re together, even if it means hiding… you will for as long as it takes. Because all I’ve learnt over the last few weeks, months even, is that you can’t live without him. And he’s the same. Fuck everything that makes it complicated; somewhere beneath all the shit, you have each other. Me? I have _nothing_.”  
  
“Is that your self pity speech?” Mark asks.  
  
“No,” Jenson snaps. “It’s the ‘I’m tired of waiting’ speech. I’m not going to do it anymore, it _hurts_. Especially when David pretends nothing happened.”  
  
Mark holds up his hands then. “Whoa! What happened between you and David?”  
  
“Nothing if you ask him, nothing that matters to him. Sebastian’s right. I am a tool.”  
  
“That was a joke Jenson!”  
  
Jenson though was already walking out the door. He’d get a cab and go back to his Twilight book. After all he had to find out who Bella was going to choose. He was rooting for Jacob. Edward seemed like a tosser.

*          *          *

  
Sebastian was exhausted. It felt like he hadn’t slept in days but he’d only been awake for four hours, and that whole time had been filled with visitors. As much as he loved catching up with everyone, it was draining. When Mark had noticed his constant yawns he’d left with David. Well that wasn’t quite true, Sebastian had to assure him a thousand times he’d be okay without him because for one, Mark probably needed some proper sleep, and two, there was something going on between Mark and David.  
  
Mark had come back sans Jenson earlier and ever since there had been some weird vibe between the two of them. Whatever it was, Mark looked pissed, Sebastian was just happy it wasn’t him about to get yelled at, David could happily have an angry Mark while he got hugs and kisses goodbye. Well more just a hug because his mother was there looking most unhappy every time Mark even _touched_ him.  
  
Snuggling under his blankets, Sebastian lets his mum tuck him in, and he sighs trying to fight off sleep for a moment longer. “Mum?” he murmurs as she stroked his hair. “When’s dad going to come and see me?”  
  
Her hand pulls back and his mother moves out of his sight, instead busying herself with the blinds in the room because it suddenly grows dark. He hadn’t seen his father once in the hospital; it hurt far worse than he would have thought at having his father shun him so completely that even when he nearly died his dad hadn’t been here. Sebastian bites down on his lip hard hoping the pain distracts him enough so the tears that flood his eyes don’t actually turn to sobs – that would be a bitch to his sore stomach.  
  
When the door closes Sebastian sits up awkwardly surprised that his mother had left him alone. But the room was empty and Sebastian lowers himself back down then and he doesn’t care that it hurts. He cries himself to sleep.

*          *          *


	23. Chapter 23

David places the bag of donuts on Jenson’s desk when he walks in; his partner is in early for his first day back on the job, eight week suspension served. “Welcome back,” he smiles.  
  
Jenson looks up, and while he smiles, it’s empty, and David feels his chest tighten at that. “Thanks,” he says grabbing the bag and peering in, clearly not pissed or upset enough to turn down donuts.  
  
“Eleven?” he asks.  
  
“Yeah, baker’s dozen,” David grins referring to the usual joke between them where one of them had eaten one and insisted a baker’s dozen actually consisted of 11 rather than 13. This time Jenson doesn’t even react.  
  
“Thanks.” The bag is pushed aside and Jenson goes back to what he was working on.  
  
“What are you doing?” David refused to believe that Jenson was upset at him, despite that Mark had gone off at him a week ago when they had left the hospital after Sebastian’s visit, and despite the fact that he and Jenson hadn’t spoken since then, the silence now extending to the point between them where it was foreign, and David wanted nothing more than to fix this.  
  
“Filing reports,” he answers. “I’m on desk duty until informed otherwise. So go do what you need to do,” Jenson waves him off not once glancing across him.  
  
A painful lump forms in David’s throat. “Jens…”  
  
“ _Not now_ ,” Jenson sneers at him, the words being thrown back at David he seemed so fond of using.  
  
David shocked and hurt at Jenson’s clear attack, stands next to his desk, waiting, _hoping_ for Jenson to laugh and make it a joke but it doesn’t come. David can only turn and walk away feeling more than just a little lost even if he had been working solo for the last two months, this was very different. He turns around when there’s a rustled bang – Jenson had binned his donuts.

*          *          *

  
“Are you sure this is okay?” Sebastian asks for the millionth time as he looks around what would be his new room at the Hulkenberg’s. Nico had offered him the room when it was clear there was no way he’d be allowed back home at the moment. His father he hadn’t seen him once and his mother was keeping her distance now that he’d been released from hospital.  
  
“Of course,” Nico smiles. “Though I think you should just go stay with Mark since I’m sure you’re going to spend all your time there.”  
  
“Maybe,” Sebastian mumbles fiddling with the edge of the cast on his left arm. He and Mark needed to talk before that was even an option and since his discharge date had been given, he’d been dreading it. Once he was out of hospital he knew that Mark would stop fussing and worrying so much. He’d been released yesterday and he hadn’t seen Mark once yet. Mark either didn’t care anymore or Sebastian was doing a great job at avoiding Mark because he didn’t know how to say sorry anymore than he had. He was worried that sorry wasn’t enough.  
  
“Have you seen him since you got out?” Nico asks while roughly unpacking some of the boxes he’d collected for Sebastian that his mother had packed.  
  
“No…” Sebastian winces when Nico drops a box marked ‘fragile’ a little too roughly to the bed.  
  
“We’re going now then,” Nico declares. “Come on. You aren’t going to do it like this again Seb. No moping or hiding. You’ll go talk to Mark like a normal adult.” Sebastian follows in silence not protesting because while he was dreading this, he longed to sort things out with Mark properly.  
  
When they arrive, Nico parks the car and tells him he’ll meet him at the diner when he’s done with the making up and whatever it is they do. The wrinkled nose of Nico has Sebastian grin before heading to the garage where he can see Lewis working.  
  
“Hey,” he greets, Lewis jumping in fright and banging his head on the raised bonnet above.  
  
“Frick!” He grabs his head spinning to look at Sebastian. “Hey man.” Lewis looks him over. “Good to see you’re all in one piece. You doing okay?”  
  
“Yeah,” Sebastian though waves his left arm about that was in plaster, “This is a bitch though.”  
  
Lewis wipes his hands roughly. “You here to see Mark?”  
  
“Is he around?” Sebastian couldn’t see him and it was too early for lunch and Mark to be eating his never ending supply of frozen pizzas.  
  
“Nah. Told me to tell you he should be back tomorrow. He needed to sort something out, not to worry, oh and _be good_.” Lewis grins at him. “He probably only left you alone because he knew you wouldn’t be able to get into much trouble with only one good arm.”  
  
Sebastian can only smile weakly at that. Mark had left him willingly and hadn’t wanted to be here for his return. That was a punch to the gut.  
  
“By the way,” Lewis calls out to him before he can walk away, “I loved what you did for the garage. The new suppliers are great and I love the upgraded accounting package. Mark will hate it but I love it.”  
  
“No problem,” Sebastian whispers turning to head to the diner to join Nico trying not to cry because Mark had left him. Again. Nico looked surprised to see him but thankfully didn’t question his glum mood but rather just ordered him a milkshake.

*          *          *

  
It doesn’t take long for Mark to work out where Sebastian was staying. It would either be with Jaime or Nico, and with a fifty-fifty shot of being right, he opts for Nico first. Mark couldn’t quite fathom what it was about this generation not wanting to live on their own; they seemed more than happy to live with their parents for as long as possible. Or maybe he was skewed in his thoughts because he had good reason to get out from under his father’s roof.  
  
At Nico’s he thanks Mrs. Hulkenberg for showing him to Sebastian’s room to find his boyfriend looking very much like he was sulking on his bed while playing on his laptop. “Hey,” Mark greets knocking as he falls to lean on the door jam.  
  
Sebastian jumps surprised and Mark sees him light up for a moment before it’s gone and he was back to sulking. “Hey.” It was the most unenthusiastic greeting Mark had ever been given.  
  
“What are you doing?” Mark stays at the door watching Sebastian attempt to ignore him.  
  
“Working.”  
  
“On what?”  
  
“Work.”  
  
Mark sighs and steps into the room and pushes the door closed with his heel. He grabs the laptop from Sebastian, easily removing it from the one handed grip, closing it and putting it on the desk next to the bed. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Where were you?” Sebastian asks, anger now sneaking into his tone.  
  
“Miss me?” Mark teases leaning over Sebastian to kiss him but Sebastian twists his head away. Sighing Mark straightens up. “I was going to be here but thought I could get you something instead, and I figured that while I wouldn’t be here when you got out, you would be okay with it when you see what I got you.”  
  
Sebastian looks at him suspiciously. “You got me a present?”  
  
Mark reaches into his pocket then to pull out a small messily wrapped box.  
  
“You were gone three days to buy me a gift that size?” He looked unconvinced but he still grabs for it.  
  
Mark pulls his hand back and places it safely back in his pocket. “Nope. We’re going to dinner at the pub tonight first.”  
  
“What?” Sebastian sits up alarmed. “We can’t! People _will know_ ,” he hisses the last part to Mark.  
  
“Seb, this town is so small, they already know. Trust me on that. And secondly, I promise not to maul you in public or embarrass you. It’s just dinner. That’s all,” Mark states. “I want to have dinner with you. Please?”  
  
There’s a long pause before Sebastian answers and Mark knows he’s doing it as payback but he already knows Sebastian will say yes, even before he sighs dramatically and responds with, “I guess.”  
  
“I’m honoured that you’re going to force yourself to put up with my company for a few hours,” Mark rolls his eyes and steps back so Sebastian can get off the bed. Spying a box marked ‘hats’, Mark goes to look into it and he smiles when he sees it’s full of beanies. Sebastian hadn’t worn them much recently, he reaches down to pick the first one up before pulling it on Sebastian. Hand still resting on the top of Sebastian’s head, he apologises, “Sorry if I upset you Sebi.”  
  
Sebastian steps closer, a hand falling to the side of Mark’s neck before his lips press to Mark’s in a soft kiss. “Stop leaving me,” he whispers when he pulls back. “I can’t… you can’t keep doing that.”  
  
“Leave you?” Mark was taken aback at the confession. “ _Leave you_? Fuck Seb, are you really that blind to not realise how I can’t seem to leave you?”  
  
“But…”  
  
Mark cuts off whatever Sebastian was going to say next with another kiss forcing Sebastian to respond and taking everything he wanted from Sebastian’s mouth till he left the other man clinging to him breathless.  
  
“More,” Sebastian was pushing up against him, rubbing against him.  
  
“Not now,” Mark says untangling himself and grabbing Sebastian’s good hand. “Come on, dinner first, then your present and then I might see if you’re physically up for any playing.”  
  
“Mark,” Sebastian snorts on his laughter, “I’m always _up_ for playing.” Mark doesn’t comment, letting Sebastian giggle the whole way to his bike outside.  
  
Dinner goes alright in Mark’s books. Sebastian is clearly uncomfortable and seems to be over paranoid that _everyone_ was staring at them. But he settled down by the end of their meal and he was relaxed somewhat – it might also have helped that he had a couple of drinks despite the fact he wasn’t meant to be drinking with his pain management medication.  
  
“Can I have it now?” Sebastian asks as Mark throws money on the table to cover the bill as Sebastian giggles at what he’d said, adding that he meant his present.  
  
“Not here,” Mark says as they make their way out and in effort to sober Sebastian up a little, they walk to the garage and back to his apartment.  
  
“Mark?” Sebastian breaks the silence between them, not that it was awkward. “I know I said sorry, but I am _so sorry_. I know I should have said something to my dad, I know I told you that I wanted this and me not telling him wasn’t me saying I didn’t want this. Because I do. So badly that if I really have fucked this up…” Sebastian stops when Mark does. “Mark I _need_ you and I’m so sorry. So fucking sorry.”  
  
“I know you’re sorry,” Mark says, pleased that Sebastian had timed this so they were under a street lamp and he could see him clearly. “You think this is all your fault? It’s not. You didn’t accuse me of rape did you? I spoke with Jenson; I know you didn’t know about the charges. I know you had them dropped when you did. And I should have talked to you instead of walking out at the station. But I was angry and so convinced that you were still in denial about things, despite what you said…”  
  
“I was I think,” Sebastian whispers pained.  
  
“When I cooled down enough it was too late, almost for good. This isn’t just on you.” Stepping forward Mark grasps Sebastian’s face, thumbs stroking his cheeks. “I love you, so fucking much.”  
  
Sebastian pulls away from him and marches down the path in front of him. He looks over his shoulder at Mark, “Not on the street Mark. Hurry up.”  
  
Mark grins at him and they just about run the last part of the way to the garage. Mark was about to scold Sebastian about potentially jarring his arm and pulling his stitches but instead finds his tongue engaged in other activities that were far more pleasant as he’s shoved to the side door to his workshop. Sebastian’s one hand everywhere as he was practically raped by his one armed boyfriend.  
  
Sebastian rips his mouth away gasping his own scolding. “Don’t tell me you love me in public. It makes me _shower needy_.”  
  
“Shower needy?” Mark was amused at that.  
  
“You don’t remember?” Sebastian asks body sliding against his in a simple quest for friction and contact.  
  
“Oh trust me mate, _I remember_ ,” Mark promises. “Let’s not get distracted _before_ I give you my gift.”  
  
Mark resists stealing anymore kisses from Sebastian not sure they’d actually make it to his apartment if he started anything along the way. He walks up the stairs, Sebastian behind him and when he glances back, Sebastian’s eyes were glued to his ass. “Is that what you want?”  
  
“Don’t know,” Sebastian answers smirking, “I can’t decide. We’ll just have to do it both ways.”  
  
Mark’s body floods with arousal and he turns to throw open the door. “In,” he orders roughly. “Stop tempting me to give your ass a good walloping. _Gift_ first.”  
  
Sebastian though stops in front of him, eyes dancing with amusement as a finger presses to Mark’s lips which Mark promptly licks. “You want to spank me?”  
  
An image of Sebastian draped across his lap, bare ass glowing red has Mark groan aloud. “Get. In. Side.”  
  
“We’ll talk about it later then,” Sebastian grins before heading straight for the bedroom. Mark needs a moment to pull himself together because Sebastian had a way of leaving him so undone. Removing his jacket and shoes he joins Sebastian, lingering at the end of the bed as Sebastian throws himself onto it, stomach first.  
  
“Oh fuck!” Sebastian cries out, pain evident in his voice, before he rolls over holding his stomach tightly.  
  
“You are not a 100%,” Mark states fighting the urge to crawl on the bed and kiss him all over to make him better. Sebastian needed to remember that, even if it was through a painful lesson. “Please take it easy.”  
  
Sebastian takes a moment to recover; breathing returning to normal as his body slowly relaxes again. “I forgot.” He looks over at Mark and smiles. “Can I have my present now?”  
  
“Yeah,” Mark sighs pulling the gift from his pocket and tossing it onto Sebastian’s chest. “I meant what I said to you when we were at the house together. I promised you wouldn’t have to stay with your parents, and I just wanted to give you another option…”  
  
Sebastian struggled to get the paper off, Mark it seemed had used two rolls of sticky tape on the palm sized box. When he’s finally gotten into Fort Knox, chest and stomach covered in bits of coloured wrapping paper, he throws away the box lid and fishes out a set of keys. Sebastian stops breathing as he stares at it wondering if this was all happening for real or simply a dream.  
  
“I was up at the house the last three days,” Mark says feeling anxious because Sebastian had gone silent and so still. “I said after I did the flooring we could discuss it. I finished the floors; it’s not finished-finished. But it’s safe. Liveable.” Mark’s stomach twists because Sebastian still hadn’t said a word, he hadn’t _moved_. “Seb?”  
  
“These are keys to your house?” Sebastian’s voice cracks. “I can live there?”  
  
Mark crawls onto the bed so he can look at Sebastian properly. His hand pushes into Sebastian’s hair when he looks into a pair of tear drowned eyes. “Please tell me these are happy tears because doing the floor was a bitch, there was a reason why I hadn’t….”  
  
Mark’s words are drowned out between their lips, Sebastian yanking him downwards to kiss him. Mark pulls away though because Sebastian was twisted awkwardly, good arm around his neck, weight on his broken one. “It’s just an option. You can stay with Nico or wherever you want.”  
  
“Fuck Nico,” Sebastian gasps impatiently lying there as Mark moves to position himself over him properly. “I want to live with you, in your house. I _love_ your house.”  
  
“I know,” Mark murmurs now stretched over him, ensuring he kept most his weight off an injured Sebastian. “I was worried you’d be turned off after your fall though…”  
  
“That’s like being turned off you. Impossible,” Sebastian breathes out widening his legs when Mark gently rolls his hips against Sebastian’s.  
  
“Good to know.” He brushes his lips across Sebastian’s softly. “On both counts.” Much to Sebastian’s disgruntlement Mark’s next kiss is just as brief. “Now we can play,” Mark grins, hips thrusting down harder that sees Sebastian gasp and grip a handful of his shirt. “But one condition…”  
  
“What?” Sebastian rasps squirming under him restlessly, ignoring the darts of pain it causes to his healing stomach.  
  
“No moving. Lie there and just let me do all the work.”  
  
Mark can see Sebastian’s eyes change colour, darkening and then widening before he starts panting. “I can’t…”  
  
“Promise or we just go to sleep.” Mark doubted he’d be able to ‘just go to sleep’ but he was serious. The last thing he wanted was to tear Sebastian’s stitches. If Sebastian thought having dinner together was tough, Mark wasn’t sure how he’d cope telling his doctors how he’d reinjured himself.  
  
“Promise,” Sebastian gasps arms releasing Mark and thrown above his head, keys in a death grip in his right hand. “I promise _I’ll_ _try_.”  
  
“Good boy,” Mark whispers dipping his head to kiss him once more. Tonight he was intent on teaching Sebastian a lesson on patience, he was long overdue one.  
  


*          *          *


	24. Chapter 24

Sebastian was sprawled across Mark’s bed, trying to find more sleep but Mark wasn’t complying with his wishes. Despite being aware that little sleeping had been seen the night before, Mark had risen at some ungodly hour and insisted on giving him a thorough physical which had included an inspection and change of his bandages on his stomach. Apparently insisting he was fine wasn’t enough to cease Mark’s fussing.  
  
Given the okay, Mark had then settled back down next to him after showering and eating, only to grab at his broken arm, yank it towards him and then proceed to begin illustrating his cast. His arm was really beginning to ache at the angle but sitting up felt like such effort. A grunt is all he can manage in protest.  
  
“If it hurts, sit up,” Mark tells him with no sympathy. “You’re overdue pain medication and it’s nearly fucking lunch time.”  
  
That does have Sebastian open his eyes, and focus on the small digital clock on Mark’s overcrowded bedside table. Apparently Mark hadn’t got up at some ungodly hour. “But I’m still sleepy…”  
  
“Well I was happy with one round last night,” Mark looks across from him, attention diverted from his task to give him a look that fell pretty close to ‘I told you so’.  
  
“And it was such an unpleasant task,” Sebastian replies with sleepy sarcasm as he drags himself to sit up, arm free from Mark so he can stretch fully, yawning as he does. His eyes open again at the feel of Mark’s hand brushing up and down his side, and he can’t stop the grin that spreads across his face at Mark’s roving eyes on his naked body.  
  
“Come here,” Mark orders softly, hand now tugging gently at his hip. Sebastian complies, scuffling over on his knees till he was firmly against Mark’s side. Mark’s fingers tug at his chin for a soft kiss lingering kiss. “Hey,” he smiles when they part.  
  
Sebastian smiles back, “Hey…” They share another kiss, just as gentle but this one they don’t break, instead they both slide to lie down on top of the rumpled sheets, on their sides and facing each other. “Stop doing that,” Sebastian murmurs when they break apart, Mark’s fingers tracing his cheek.  
  
“Doing what?” Mark asks pulling his hand back and genuinely looking confused.  
  
“Looking at me like you lost me,” he explains frustrated. “I didn’t die. You didn’t lose me, yet sometimes you look at me like… it hurts.”  
  
“You have no idea,” Mark whispers voice sounding pained. “I’d never have forgiven myself, never.”  
  
“Shut up,” Sebastian orders, frustration seeping towards anger. “I’m not dead. I’ll be okay. I just want –“ Sebastian stops then and rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling falling quiet. “I don’t want to think about it, what happened. You’re upset about something that didn’t happen and I feel so fucking guilty about what did.” Sebastian can feel the bed shift before Mark’s sighs having rolled over himself. “I just want to forget it all. I want to pretend it didn’t happen.”  
  
“Not that easy mate,” Mark murmurs and he turns his head to stare at Sebastian who was looking across at him. “We’ll be okay though.”  
  
The smile that Sebastian flashes him is brief and forced more than anything; he can see the doubt lurking in Mark’s expression. He was determined to get rid of that. He was going to fix this, no matter how long it took. “I’m sorry about what happened…”  
  
“I thought you were pretending it didn’t happen,” Mark’s mouth shifts towards a smile and it has Sebastian lean over and push a finger into the corner of Mark’s mouth to get it to be a real smile. He grins when he succeeds. Mark shifts to kiss his finger before becoming serious again, “We need to talk about your parents.”  
  
That one statement has Sebastian snap his hand back, all smiles gone. “Why?”  
  
“Because avoiding the issue won’t work. I want to be on the page with you on this, I want to know where your head is, help you if I can,” Mark explains not about to back down on the topic just because it makes Sebastian uncomfortable.  
  
“I need pants,” Sebastian mutters dragging himself from the bed. “We’re not talking about my parents while I’m naked.” He struggles to pull on his briefs with one hand, not finding it at all amusing the way Mark seemed to, still lying on the bed, arm propped up under his head. “Thank you for helping.”  
  
“I prefer you out of them,” Mark shrugs, “Why would I help?”  
  
Sebastian rolls his eyes and decides he might as well just finish putting on his clothes since he started. “I don’t know what to say about my parents. They’re not talking to me.”  
  
“Have you called your mum since you’ve been out of hospital?” Mark asks as he watches Sebastian hunt for his shirt.  
  
“Why would I do that?” His mother had gone back to shunning him the moment he was discharged; apparently she was fine to blank him from her life as long as he was fit and healthy. His father on the other hand apparently didn’t care either way. He crumples his now found shirt in anger.  
  
Mark’s hand yanks the shirt from his grip. “Seb, you’re mother will take a call from you if you want to speak to her. She was there in the hospital, she told me she was worried you wouldn’t forgive her. If you want her in your life, you can have that, she won’t shut you out.”  
  
Sebastian wants his shirt back so can grip something, his fingers grasp at the hem of Mark’s shirt instead. He didn’t know what he wanted when it came to his parents, not now anyway. “I’ll think about calling my mum,” he murmurs. Hesitating he looks back up at Mark, “Did you speak to my dad?” He can’t do anything to hide the hope in his gaze, he wanted his dad to come around like his mum seemed to be.  
  
Mark’s grimaces. “You’re father doesn’t deserve a phone call, but that’s my opinion.”  
  
The response has Sebastian frown. “You didn’t answer the question.”  
  
“You’re father pissed off from the hospital Seb, my answer is irrelevant because he left he’s dying son.”  
  
“I wasn’t dying,” Sebastian whispers but that doesn’t stop Mark’s words from cutting. He’s dad had left him, hadn’t come to see him… His father still hated him. He didn’t understand how his parents could just stop loving him, was he that different?  
  
“Hey,” Mark murmurs, bumping his forehead to Sebastian’s downward head gently. “Give it all some more time, see how things turn out… just let me know if you need me to do anything. Okay?”  
  
Sebastian wasn’t quite sure time was the answer to fix things with his dad, but he nods anyway. “I do have something I want you to do though…” The smile he attempts isn’t quite there but it’s a start.  
  
Mark raises his eyebrows questioningly.  
  
“Will you start packing? I want to use my gift.”  
  
Sebastian receives a hard kiss before Mark offers him back his shirt. “After I finish your cast.” The response has Sebastian look down at Mark’s incomplete drawing having forgotten about it. Mark had been in the process of drawing a motorbike, it actually looked pretty decent. “I didn’t know you could draw…”  
  
Mark snorts. “I can’t. I can draw this and nothing else.” He goes to grab the abandoned marker from earlier as Sebastian touches the tiny scrawled writing around the edges of the plaster near his fingers. “What does it say?” He twists his arm trying to read the words. “Acceptance starts within…”  
  
“Acceptance starts within yourself – the rest will follow,” Mark returns with his pen. “Figured you’d prefer that over something mushy.”  
  
“I like that,” Sebastian murmurs. “Is it true though?”  
  
“Mostly,” Mark answers, “Doesn’t change the fact that there are assholes in the world, and you can’t change their views on some things.”  
  
“Like my dad?”  
  
“I was thinking more of my father actually. Yours isn’t dead yet, still a chance for him to come around I suppose.”  
  
“Right…” he’d forgotten about Mark’s dad.  
  
“Come on,” Mark heads out of his room, “I’ll make you breakfast, finish the picture and then you can help me pack.”  
  
Sebastian brightens. “I want pancakes.”  
  
“How about pizza?” Mark offers instead.  
  
“For the record, I’m going to do the cooking when I get my cast off. We’re not living on pizza for the rest of lives,” Sebastian states.  
  
“No arguments from me mate.”

*          *          *

  
“I want you to know that you are defying the laws of physics,” David says as he and Mark head down the stairs at Mark’s place, each with a box of Mark’s belongings. “An apartment that size can not possibly hold that many belongings. How you have that much shit I’ll never understand.”  
  
“No idea mate,” Mark agrees. “I swear there’s more now than when we were living together.”  
  
“I wonder if Sebastian knows that he’s about to move in with a hoarder?” David muses as they slide the boxes into back of Mark’s truck.  
  
Mark looks offended. “I am not a hoarder!”  
  
“I swear there’s a box here that has every porn magazine you’ve had since you were a kid,” David continues to press his point.  
  
“And I will continue to deny any of those are mine,” Mark repeats grinning.  
  
Boxes tucked in securely David asks, “So when are you going to hit me with your questions?”  
  
“Sorry?” Mark had stopped to lean on the side of his truck for a water break.  
  
“Sebastian isn’t here, probably has Nico and Jaime helping him pack, along with Lewis who mentioned that you’d asked to help Seb as well. And then there’s no Jenson, who has clearly chosen to help Sebastian in fear of having to be in the same place as me…”  
  
“Mate,” Mark cuts in pained, he hated that his friends seemed to have gone and made things painfully awkward for themselves.  
  
David though keeps going. “Who would have thought Jenson would rather spend time with Sebastian than with me? So the only conclusion I have come to is you want to talk to me. And since you and Sebastian seem to be sorting yourselves out, this probably has to do with Jenson and I.”  
  
Mark hands him the bottle of water. No point in denying anything. Sebastian had warned him in advance while flipping through his recently discovered porn haul that his plan was deeply flawed if it was meant to be, ‘oh by the way, you and Jenson?’ kind of approach..  
  
“You could fix this you know.”  
  
That has David raise his eyebrows. “Jenson won’t even be in the same room as me. He’s refusing to return to active duty so we don’t have to work together.”  
  
Mark sighs, “David, tell him you love him.” He can see David’s grip tighten on the water bottle. Mark had just assumed, for months, that eventually David would wake up and see what everyone had worked out – not just that Jenson was in love with him, but how great they would be together. It suddenly struck Mark that he actually didn’t know if David was _in love_ with Jenson. “Do you love him?”  
  
“I love him Mark,” David murmurs after a long pause. “He’s my best friend. I don’t think I could ever not have Jenson in my life but…”  
  
Mark shakes his head. “You really don’t have feelings for him?”  
  
David drops the water bottle back in the track and heads back inside to keep going. “I don’t know,” he says when he hears Mark following. “I just can’t get my head around it all, can’t understand how he just _waited_ , and watched me fuck up everything and then at the end _still_ wants me.”  
  
Mark didn’t see that as such a hard point to conceive. “He _loves_ you David.”  
  
“Yeah, thanks. I got that memo, albeit much later than anyone else.”  
  
Mark watches as David moves to sit down on his couch looking tired, and it wasn’t to do with moving. “David, Jenson’s passed the waiting. This is it you know. Whatever you decide, that’s it.”  
  
“You want me to lie?” David looks shocked and Mark was torn.  
  
He wanted this for Jenson and a part of him really wanted David to want this as well, because punishing himself and mourning over what they had wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Would one lie be so bad? Who’s to say David wouldn’t fall in love with Jenson eventually. But he can’t say it because he _knows_ it wasn’t right, and it would destroy Jenson if it didn’t work out.  
  
“He’s going to leave Glenwood,” Mark finally spills. “Jenson’s going to leave.” He knows that confession might sound selfish and maybe it was on some level, but he didn’t want to lose his friend over this. Jenson was his friend, had been since school, David was his ex-lover, and it wasn’t that he didn’t care about David but if there was a choice…  
  
“He won’t leave,” David shakes his head refusing to believe that. “Jenson loves this place, and he loves being a cop. He won’t go anywhere.”  
  
And Mark would have agreed with him on any other day, but last night he had had dinner with Jenson. A few beers later and Jenson was spilling his plans for leaving. Seeing someone you care about look so broken had been hard. “David, if you have any feelings for him…”  
  
“Mark,” David says snapping back to his feet. “I will not lie to him. You want to know who I have feelings for? You want to know why I can’t lie to Jenson? Because I am _still_ in love with you. I get that we are not getting back together, I get that you have Sebastian, I get it all. But it hurts and I’m _sore_! And lying… _Lying_ to Jenson and to myself will change none of that!”  
  
Mark’s heart broke for both of his friends because he wouldn’t be able to help either of them. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “But David, none of this is my fault. I _tried_ to forgive you. We tried after Lewis left. But after everything that happened, I couldn’t. I did _everything_ for us. And you burned it.”  
  
“And I have apologised a thousand times!” David shouts at him.  
  
Mark grips the edge of the kitchen bench to his right in an effort to restrain himself from going over and clobbering David. They had this argument a million times and he knew it would change nothing. And David’s indiscretion would forever be a sore point between them. The silence echoes around them, the longer it lingers Mark can feel his anger dissipate and so does David’s as he falls back to the couch.  
  
“You want to know what I’ve been thinking the last few months?” David muses looking at Mark forlornly, “Was what if there had been no Lewis? What if we’d been together still when Sebastian returned to town? Would it have been you that was sneaking around with someone nearly half your age?”  
  
“Do not fucking play this game me with David,” Mark’s anger sparks back to life. “Do not bring Sebastian into our past problems and do not assume that I would have _ever_ been unfaithful to you!”  
  
David just stares at Mark, a sad smile on his face. “Yet, I still wonder. Because yes, you loved me Mark, but the way you love Sebastian… you _never_ looked at me the way you look at him.”  
  
Mark doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t know what to say that. He wasn’t about to go and start comparing his past relationships. He’d thrown himself at each one fully and at the time he would have swore black and blue that David was the only person he could love. But that didn’t work out, so he wasn’t going to look back. He wished David would move on as well.  
  
“I never thought that when I lost you, that it would mean I’d lose Jenson as well. Because that’s what’s happened hasn’t it?”  
  
Mark swallows. He can only apologise, because he knows unless David was prepared to give Jenson everything, their friendship was really over. “I’m sorry.” And he meant it, because Mark knew he was about to lose one of his long time friends.

*          *          *

  
Sebastian was enjoying his day. He hadn’t had to lift a finger, at all. Who’d have thought that having a broken arm could have so many benefits? He would never tell Mark that though or he’d be given that spanking that Mark probably thought about all the time. Especially after this morning when he’d bitched about how sore his arm was for an hour, whined about not being able to do _anything_ and then demanded Mark wash him because it was impossible to do anything with one arm. That hadn’t turned into the sexy shower he’d imagined because he had a sneaky suspicion Mark had been fed up by that point, sympathy used up and he was probably lucky to have escaped the apartment alive.  
  
He wasn’t feeling guilty anyway, and there wasn’t a need. It felt like there was an army on Nico’s back patio digging into homemade sandwiches by Mrs. Hulkenberg, they’d packed up all of his things into two cars in half an hour. It helped most of his things were still at home, and that what Nico and Jaime had collected from his parents was still all in boxes. The army, Jaime, Nico, Lewis, Lewis’s boyfriend Adrian, and a depressed Jenson, really was overkill. Mark should have rethought about when to have his little chat with David.  
  
“So Seb,” Lewis says with his mouthful, “Nico was telling me you started your own company. That’s awesome man.”  
  
“It’s not a _company_ ,” Sebastian corrects. “It’s a business consulting service.” He was actually excited about it all, Mark had seemed excited and was being very supportive of the idea since he said while he hated his new computer and all the new software, his business was pulling in more money from streamlined processes, new suppliers and incentive packages he’d put in place. There was something about having Mark’s approval that meant more to him than anyone else’s. “I’m going to help Paul take his painting services online and he wants to setup in Heathwood to boost his client base,” Sebastian continues referring to the much larger town less than thirty minutes away. He was looking forward to it, if he had his laptop and it wasn’t rude to be antisocial he’d be working on Paul’s website now.  
  
“Well Paul’s not adverse to technology, so he’ll probably appreciate everything you do, and not bitch about it after,” Lewis grins.  
  
“Mark will get used to it,” Sebastian promises putting his plate down that he cleaned off.  
  
“I think you mean _I’ll_ get used to it,” Lewis responds rolling his eyes.  
  
“So it’s official then?” Jenson asks. “You’re back for good?”  
  
Lewis smiles shooting a shy glance at Adrian who’d been quiet and just observing things. “Yeah I think so. Adrian needs to give his official thumbs up though?”  
  
“Well I have no complaints about the food,” Adrian grins.  
  
“I’ll pass the compliments onto my mother,” Nico laughs. “Just be happy that it wasn’t Jenson doing the cooking.”  
  
“Hey!” Jenson looks offended. “Who told you I couldn’t cook?” His gaze had swung accusingly to Sebastian.  
  
“Please,” Sebastian scoffs, “Like Mark was _not_ going to share that. Don’t _ever_ bake me a cake.”  
  
“For you Sebastian, I’d bake a thousand of them,” Jenson responds sarcastically. “I’ll bake you one for your house warming party.”  
  
“You’re having a house warming party?” Jaime had perked up at the word ‘party’.  
  
“Well I will. Once I convince Mark it’s a brilliant idea,” Sebastian grins.  
  
Jenson was snorting and Lewis looked amused. “Good luck man,” Lewis laughs, “Mark _hates_ parties.”  
  
“But Mark _loves_ me,” Sebastian argues. “We’re having a party and I’ll invite the whole town.”  
  
“Seriously Seb,” Jenson warns, “You’re about to doom your relationship if you have a party. Mark will never allow it. Save the pain and take this one as a loss.”  
  
“Nope,” Sebastian crosses his arms and stretches his legs. “Party. One month.”  
  
Jenson’s eyes had lit up excited at a challenge. “You want to bet on it?”  
  
“Let’s put money on this,” Nico suggests.  
  
“Please, let’s give this some real stakes,” Jaime argues. “Sheriff Whiting is driving one of two new police vehicles that arrived this week,” he smirks at Sebastian. “The loser is to steal the car, paint it and return it. I can get my hands on some bright pink paint.”  
  
Sebastian looks at Jaime suddenly unsure and not just because he knows Jaime clearly intends to steal their supplies. “I don’t have access to a lawyer right now Jaime.”  
  
“I thought you were convinced you were getting your party,” Jenson seemed eager to progress with the bet and if that was the case, then so was Sebastian.  
  
“I am. Bet accepted. Don’t get any paint on your hands when you’re spraying the car next month.” He glares at Jenson and the smirk he was being given. Sebastian was pretty sure he was going to do everything in his power to ensure Mark said no. Too bad for Jenson, sex held much more sway than anything he could offer up.  
  
Adrian clears his throat. “I just want to check something here. You are actually a _police officer_ aren’t you Jenson?”  
  
“Yep,” Jenson says.  
  
“Right,” Adrian nods. “Just making sure I got that right.”  
  
“When Sebastian here loses, I know exactly who I'll be arresting,” Jenson smirks.  
  
“And you’ll need to prove it first,” Sebastian snaps. “And if you so much as blab…”  
  
“Woah!” Nico says jumping to break up the beginning of the fight. “We’re all witness here and clearly we all need to be in agreement that this doesn’t get spoken about and there will be _no_ arresting or anonymous tips made by anyone present in regards to the culprit. Deal?” There’s an agreed chorus of ‘Yes’, two of them were mumbled, but hands were shook, and the bet was on.  
  
No sooner was that done, Sebastian jumps when a hand falls on top his head. He leans backwards to see Mark behind him, David already helping himself to leftover food. “Hey,” he grins up at Mark.  
  
“Good to see you and Jenson haven’t killed each other,” Mark comments accepting a plate from David before moving to an empty chair next to Jaime.  
  
“Jenson and I are bonding,” Sebastian gives a grin to Jenson who was getting to his feet. “We shook hands and everything.”  
  
 “Sebastian and I were discussing plans for your housewarming party,” Jenson says as he moves to the door grabbing dishes as he does.  
  
Mark’s raises his eyebrows before his eyes zero back on Sebastian. “We’re _not_ having a housewarming party.”  
  
“So we’ll discuss it later then,” Sebastian smiles at him sweetly and Mark only grunts at that. He gets on his feet grabbing as much as he could with one hand, a glass, before adding, “I’m going to help Jenson. See, I am _nice_ ,” he tells Mark pointedly.  
  
“Debatable!” Nico calls after him and if Sebastian didn’t have his hand full, he’d have given his friend the finger.  
  
He dumps the glass on the bench and walks to the front door where he finds Jenson putting on his jacket. “Hey,” he says seriously, “This thing with you and David. Is it going to be like this all the time?”  
  
Jenson looked surprised at the question. “Anyone would think you care Sebi.”  
  
“Well,” he says trying not to get hostile, “I know Mark _cares_. And I actually _like_ David, and when you just walked off he looked like he might cry.”  
  
“For the record, there is something wrong with you preferring David over me. You do know that he is Mark’s ex, and they slept together don’t you?” Jenson opens the front door leaving but Sebastian follows him.  
  
“Well of course. But David is nice to me.”  
  
“He smashed your taillights, or did you forget that?”  
  
“No,” Sebastian snaps. “But he didn’t shoot my tyres.”  
  
Jenson’s lips curl in a smile as he remembers. “Good day that. Bank robbers, we should have more of them.”  
  
“You got suspended,” Sebastian reminds him sharply.  
  
“And, you were arrested for theft. Wait that’s right, your father saved your ass. Can’t wait to see how he gets you out of vandalism… oh wait. Sorry I forgot, where’s your father right now?” Jenson’s response was bitter and angry. But it hurt, it was like cutting into a wound that hadn’t even began to scab, it was far too fresh.  
  
“Fuck you,” Sebastian hisses turning to walk back to the house, only Jenson grabs at his arm, too bad it was his broken.  
  
“Sorry!” Jenson says releasing it when Sebastian cry was one of pain. “Sorry,” he repeats quieter. “I’m just… not myself right now.”  
  
Sebastian crosses his arms and stares at Jenson upset. “Yeah, and I came out to say I’m sorry about that. That if I can do something. But forget it. Sort your own shit out.”  
  
Jenson stares at him, not saying anything before shaking his head. “And what did you think you were going to do?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Sebastian shrugs. “I just thought this would end different I guess. That David would just see things…”  
  
“Well, we don’t all get happy endings,” Jenson really sounded bitter now. “I’ll deal. Moving on can’t be harder than loving someone you can’t have.”  
  
“Don’t leave because of David,” Sebastian blurts out, though Mark had told him that in the strictest of confidence. “Running doesn’t work. You’ll fall through the floor, impale yourself on building debris and break your arm. Or something like that. And who knows, maybe David will come around?”  
  
“Come around? Sebastian, David is still completely wound up in Mark.”  
  
“Well he can’t have Mark,” Sebastian says defensively. “But he can have the next best thing.” He smiles before adding, “Though Adrian probably wouldn’t like that, he seems rather attached to Lewis.”  
  
“Don’t ever go into the business of cheering people up.” Jenson heads to his car and Sebastian was once more annoyingly behind him.  
  
“If you leave Mark will be upset. Maybe I can help you find a new boyfriend?”  
  
Jenson was digging out his keys. “You have gay closeted friends in town?”  
  
“Uh….no. But I do know of a gay bar,” he grins. Jenson though just gets into his car. “If you leave, what about our bet?”  
  
Jenson’s window suddenly slides down and he was once more smiling. “Sebi, I’m going to stay around just long enough to see you attempt to steal the Sheriff’s car without getting caught. Don’t worry about that.”  
  
Sebastian leans down and hesitantly adds, “I think David’s being a knob by the way.” The small smile he gives Jenson was one of sympathy and understanding, and it’s returned. Maybe he and Jenson could  work something out between them after all, and if not, well he’d only to put up with Jenson for at least another month.  
  
He heads back inside when Jenson drives off, his good hand in his pocket playing with the key to Mark’s house. _Their_ house. He wanted to go home now.

*          *          *


	25. Chapter 25

Mark isn’t surprised when he pulls into the drive of his home that the gates were unlocked, and the steep gravelled drive was full of cars. This morning he had stumbled across, while trying to wrangle with the new laptop Sebastian brought for the garage, emails from his boyfriend. Hell, he didn’t know he even had an email address, but Sebastian had been using it for weeks, just assuming that he would check them. There amongst the twenty something explicitly dirty emails, was an invitation to their housewarming party.

The house warming party that he had said no to when Sebastian asked him in person, the same party he refused to give into when he and Sebastian had fought about it, the same party that had Sebastian throw a tantrum like a child at his constant refusal to invite the whole town into his house. But apparently _not_ the house warming party he was invited to by email. Sebastian adding a clause at the end of the email of _‘if you don’t respond by email within 24 hours then I will accept that you have your changed your mind because you love me endlessly and I’ll send invitations tomorrow.’_

Mark’s anger isn’t helped by the fact he can’t get his truck into the garage. Instead he gets out, and has to walk across the yet to be dealt with rocky front yard studded with tree roots, and nearly tripping in the process. He is in the middle of letting go a long string of expletives when he notices the Sheriff sitting on the front steps smoking. “Sheriff,” Mark grunts out ignoring the pain in his ankle and cutting off his cursing, though that effort left him with no intention of smiling at the older man.

“It’s a nice home Mark,” Sheriff Whiting smiles. “It’s nice to finally see the finished project you and your father were working on for all those years.” Mark stops as the Sheriff gets to his feet, freezing when Whiting squeezes his arm. “He was a good man, had his problems yes, but he would have been proud of this. I can assure you of that.”

“Yeah…thanks,” Mark mutters feeling a lump in his throat. All his anger vanishing then. He had done none of this for his father, he had done it for his mother. It was another reason to not have people trampling through his house thinking they knew what was going on. Despite the fact that his father helped in the final few months before he killed himself at the end of his battle with cancer, Mark wanted this house to be thought of with the memory of his mother. Not his father, never his father.

Walking inside, Mark does think the whole town is actually in his house. He spots Jan holding her now six month old daughter and she waves at him. Forcing a smile, Mark tries hard to ignore that there were far too many young people walking around. Seb had invited all his friends from school; his house was full of rowdy teenagers. Groaning, Mark darts up the stairs to escape everyone, intent on hiding up there until his house was empty again so he could bury his boyfriend’s body somewhere in the woods.

A hot shower later leaves Mark well aware of how tired he was, and that the pounding music from downstairs was going to do nothing for his headache. Throwing the wet towel aside that he had used to dry his hair he stops before he can throw himself into bed. Jenson was standing there holding Jan’s daughter.

“There’s something very wrong with this sight,” Mark says eyes flicking from the baby held awkwardly on one hip and the beer in the other hand. “It’s the pants,” Mark finally settles his gaze on Jenson’s leather pants. “Give me that kid.”

“You sound just like Sebastian,” Jenson rolls his eyes but let’s Mark take the little girl. “I saw you come in. I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to hide away.”

Mark purses his lips and doesn’t comment.

“Sebastian is giving everyone tours, he will find you.”

“I will kill him,” Mark states for the record grabbing at the baby’s hand that was pulling at his wet hair in interest.

“Please,” Jenson snorts, “You’d be lost without him. You’d live up here and be a hermit and mourn your loss if you did kill him.”

Mark shakes his head but doesn’t bother with denials. Sebastian infuriating him and driving him crazy he doubted was ever going to cease, and if it did, he would miss it, or at least the make up sex that followed.

“Come on, go be polite and social,” Jenson coaxes him out of the room.

Mark does, deciding he could at least try. He passes off the squirming baby in his grip to Jan before grabbing a beer. He then mingles, making his way around in the hopes of finding and pinning Sebastian alone. He succeeds when he finds Sebastian in his office with Jaime and Nico, absorbed in a detailed and animated explanation of his new office and how his consultancy business was doing. Leaning on the door Mark’s mouth forms into a slow smile when he sees how happy Sebastian is. He was all smiles, eyes bright and excited. Mark wants some of that happiness.

“A moment with you alone Sebastian.”

All three heads snap towards him, Sebastian’s smile gone and an apprehensive look now on his face. When Jaime and Nico hesitate, Mark fixes them both with a ‘do not make me ask you twice’ glare that see both men hurry out while shooting sympathetic looks at their friend.

“I sent you an email,” Sebastian squeaks as Mark with one harsh push, slams the door closed. “Mark –” The rest of Sebastian’s apology cut off when Mark’s mouth covers his after striding across the room. He is literally swept up in the furious kisses before finally being deposited on the desk, Mark wrapped tightly in his arms and legs. “Not mad then?” Sebastian gasps when they finally break apart.

“Fucking furious,” Mark whispers before dropping his lips to Sebastian’s throat, sucking hard. When Sebastian’s gasp turns into a low moan, hips rolling against his needily, Mark shoves him back onto the desk, intent on now taking more than just a few kisses.

“Ugh!” Sebastian cries out trying to sit back up but failing when Mark halts that by leaning over him, “Wait. Not here, not _now_!” Mark’s arms were on either side to trapping him, and he looked so hot in a tight black shirt, eyes dark with desire and an anger that Sebastian can’t stop his body arching towards as desire pooled straight to his groin. “The door doesn’t have a lock, we should go the bathroom,” he amends breathlessly.

“I got you a gift,” Mark whispers licking his lips when Sebastian slumps down apparently not caring that he was lying on his precious laptop.

“Gift?” Sebastian shivers and squirms as Mark pushes up his t-shirt.

“Thought I’d try and cheer you up since you couldn’t have a party…” Mark drags his tongue up the angry scar on Sebastian’s stomach before nipping at a hip bone. “But since you went and had one…” Mark continues to lavish kisses and licks across Sebastian’s stomach.

“What did you get me?” Sebastian asks trying to lift his hips to find some sort of friction for his now aching erection.

Mark straightens up, hands rubbing the other man’s inner thighs, forcing his legs apart as far as they can go. “Well it’s not for you, they are mine but I’m sure you’d enjoy them just as much.”

Sebastian wriggles in the hopes that Mark would stop rubbing his hands everywhere but where he needed them. “Tell me,” he demands.

Mark’s hand squeezes Sebastian’s hard cock as he answers. “Just some leather pants.”

Sebastian’s squealed moan was loud has Mark smile, straightening up and pulling his hands back. “But you got the party, so go enjoy it.”

“No!” Sebastian cries when Mark backs away. “I want the pants. I’ll tell them to leave. Now. Just…you _can’t_ _stop_ ,” he pleads.

“Now that would be rude Sebi,” Mark smiles. “Go enjoy your party…” Mark’s eyes then drop to his crotch and the obvious erection. “Just do something about that first hey?” And then ignoring all of his boyfriend’s protests, Mark walks out feeling a tad better. And hell, he knew that eventually those pants on the front seat of his car he would end up wearing at some point for Seb, just most certainly _not_ tonight.

*          *          *

Jenson had slipped outside for a breath of fresh air. There was so many people inside that it was stuffy and hot and he needed to cool down. His pants weren’t helping any either. Leaning over the balcony, he peers down at the cliffy hillside below wondering how anyone managed to build a house on that kind of terrain…

He was aware that someone joined him a few minutes later and he knew without even looking that it was David that leaned over the railing next to him. Jenson has a swig of his beer in an effort to stop a snappy remark at his former partner. That’s all that was between them at the moment, silence or snapping. It had gotten so bad that David had taken some leave just to give him some space at work. That had stung more than Jenson had been prepared for.

“I’ve been doing some thinking,” David breaks the silence between them with the quietly sighed words. “I know you’re thinking of leaving, I know you’re angry at me…”

Jenson purses his lips because he doesn’t know what to say and his only responses weren’t going to be friendly. Though maybe that was just him at the moment - Mark had given him a lecture the other day when he’d come around for dinner to bluntly tell him to knock off being a dick about things. Sebastian had seemed overly happy to join in the conversation about him being a dick till Mark had snapped at Sebastian as well.

“I’ve been trying to think up the right words to fix this,” David continues and Jenson can feel his gaze on him, it burns, makes him feel guilty. “You’re my best friend Jens, I’ve known you forever it feels like, and I can’t stand things being like this…”

The words weigh heavy on Jenson and he slumps down further over the rail. He wanted David to piss off so he could continue to be pissy rather than made to feel like was at fault.

“I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want, at least not right now. That isn’t fair to you.”

That has Jenson turn his head, eyes pained as he stares at David. “He’s not going to love you back.”

“Yeah,” David smiles at him sadly. “I know. I just need some more time. It still hurts, I’m still sore.” Feeling like he finally has Jenson’s attention, David tries harder. “I love you Jenson, I am sorry. I’ll do what it takes to fix this.”

Jenson shrugs then because there wasn’t anything David could do. It didn’t matter anyway, he had plans to head off in a week, leave Glenwood. Not that he had shared that with anyone, not his specific plans anyway.

“I spoke to Sheriff Whiting, I handed in my resignation…”

Jenson’s head snaps up as he straightens in an instant. “You what?!”

“I know exactly what you want to do and at the end of the day, it’s not you that needs to sort out your head. It’s me. I’m not just giving you the space you’ve been so subtlety asking for,” his sarcasm wasn’t hidden, “I’m giving myself some space as well. I think it will be for the best.”

“But you love your job!” There was panic gripping at Jenson because this wasn’t what he had wanted at all.

“Of course I do, but so do you. You probably love it more than I do. If you leave Glenwood Jens, it’s the wrong person doing the leaving. Who knows, maybe some time away from here will help my head out?” David’s smile while small looked somewhat hopeful.

But Jenson was just staring at him in disbelief. “You’re going to leave?” And despite all the distance he had created between them, the thought of David actually leaving Glenwood, of David leaving him felt like a crushing blow.

“I don’t know if I should be happy that you’re not dancing for joy at the thought of me leaving or as upset as you look right now…”

“Fuck you.” Jenson punches David hard in the shoulder. “Of course I’m not going to dance for joy! This wasn’t what I wanted. I had a plan and Lewis fucking ruined it!”

“If your plan was to just keep waiting for me, that was a stupid plan,” David informs him but tugs him closer, despite Jenson trying to bat away his hands. And when he’s closer enough he tugs Jenson against him and hugs him hard, ignoring the fact that the hug wasn’t returned. “Jenson I want to fix this.”

“You’re running away,” Jenson chokes out.

“So? You were going to do that,” David murmurs as Jenson’s arms finally encircle him to hug him back, albeit loosely. “I promise to email you…”

“Fuck you, I’m not emailing you back,” Jenson snaps, though his grip on David had now tightened and he was grasping fistfuls of David’s shirt.

“Of course you will, I’ll tell you all my adventures and you’ll tell me about how many times you’ve managed to arrest Sebastian…”

The thought of David leaving him hurt. Suddenly being away from David felt like the worst idea, or maybe it was just because it was David who was going to do the leaving. “Please don’t go,” Jenson begs.

When David doesn’t offer a reply, there’s just silence between them then, and it’s not like the silence that had been existing between them for the last few weeks, it wasn’t stony, it was so far from that. And when they finally release each other, there are no words and neither rush back inside. Instead they both stand there leaning over the rail looking out at the view behind Mark’s house, sharing what was left of Jenson’s beer.

“I’m sorry,” Jenson whispers to him as the sun finally disappears. How wishes this had all turned out differently.

“Me too,” David echoes, “Me too.” And then with a smile he adds, “I’m going to miss your pants nearly as much as I’ll miss you.”

Jenson’s response never makes it out.

“Jenson!” Jaime had thrown open the door, a grin on his face that looked like the cat that ate the canary clearly not concerned that he had interrupted an important moment. “Let’s go.” He was standing there waving a set of car keys that looked terribly familiar.

David was squinting at them in the darkness, “Are they the Sheriff’s keys?”

“No,” Jenson snaps rushing forward to push Jaime back through the door, and leaving a bewildered David behind. “What are you doing?” He hisses at Jaime, snatching the keys from his grip. “There are rules, it stays between us!”

Jaime rolls his eyes. “Please, I’ve done this far longer than you have and acting like you have something to hide is exactly how you get caught.” Jaime’s back to grinning, “Trust me.” He heads to the front door and Jenson follows regretting making this bet with Sebastian, but at least right now he wasn’t thinking about David, but rather what he should knit his mother from his prison cell.

*          *          *

Sebastian hadn’t expected for the bet between he and Jenson to go down quite like this. He certainly hadn’t wanted the bet to be fulfilled on his property! But here he stood in the dark, holding a flash light as he, Nico, Lewis and a protesting Adrian watched Jenson and Jaime push the sheriff’s car out of sight from the house.

He had this horrible suspicion if Mark found out, his boyfriend was not going to think this was as amusing as Lewis and Nico found it to be, both of them were holding multiple cans of pain, just to ensure that there would be enough to cover the entire car. “Why can’t you take the car off the property and go spray it at Jenson’s house?” Sebastian suggests hopefully as Jaime moves to pull the handbrake up, and the car comes to rest around the side of the house near some bushes.

“Because what better place to do this? The suspect pool is huge right now! Pretty much everyone is here is so it’s going to be hard to point the fingers,” Jaime explains and Sebastian isn’t impressed with how Jaime’s brain works.

Nico snorts at Jaime’s response. “You’re here so the suspect pool has been sharply narrowed.”

Jenson stalks over and snatches a can paint from Nico. “I’m not even sure why you’re all here.”

It’s Lewis that answers, “To actually see you commit a crime?”

Nico adds, “To ensure it’s actually not Jaime that does this? I don’t even think he needs to be bribed.” Jaime was glaring at Nico after that comment as they all move back to watch Jenson work.

Sebastian can see Jenson looked ticked off, or maybe that wasn’t quite a strong enough description because there seemed to be a lot of anger in the way Jenson ripped the cap off spray can and hurling it to the ground. He glares at all of them before he starts spraying the Sheriff’s car. It’s done in silence, the others seeming to have caught onto Jenson’s anger, and the whole thing turns out to be awkward as they all watch Jenson take out his anger on the car.

With quick, angry strokes the car’s panels are all roughly covered. Jaime looks the most upset that it wasn’t done in a more precise manner, but no one says anything till Jenson was done, and finishes by hurling the can to the ground.

“Done.” And with that Jenson turns and stalks off and not back towards the house, instead he makes his way to his own car.

“What’s his problem?” Nico asks curiously as Jaime grabs the spray can.

Sebastian struggles to hold back a mean response to that but Lewis is the one that offers one, “It’s Jenson, there’s a lot.” Lewis earns a sharp look from Adrian which has Lewis looks appropriately apologetic.

“He’ll be fine,” Jaime shrugs it off and Sebastian just nods though he isn’t sure. Jenson hadn’t exactly been Jenson of late, and staring at the car in front of him he can’t quite believe Jenson did that.

Still he echoes the thought, “Yeah, he’ll be okay.”

They all troop back to the house, and it’s Nico who points out the familiar car parked amongst the others and it has Sebastian’s breath catch. “Is that your mum’s car?”

*          *          *

“Mum?” Sebastian hadn’t believed his mother was here, and he’d rushed towards the house to find her. And there she was dressed perfectly, not a hair out of place, while looking uncomfortable with her face holding an apprehensive expression. Sebastian hadn’t seen her much since he was released from the hospital, and he knew that was mostly due to his father and his announcement that he no longer had a son and neither did his mother. But still, despite all that Sebastian had sent both of his parents an invite in the hopes, as small as it might have been that they would come.

“Sebi,” Marina smiles at him, lighting up when her eyes falls on him. “You look wonderful.”

Sebastian returns the hug, head bending down to breathe in her sweet perfume because he would never admit it out loud, but he had missed her, from her obsessing about him, to cooking him meals right down to how she smelt. When he’s finally released from her grip, he is then showered in kisses that make him blush, embarrassed because there were people around. “Mum stop it,” he orders though he doesn’t push her away, and at least she wiped at the lipstick marks she left behind.

“I’m sorry I’m late, I got held up,” she explains, fingers rubbing at his cheek as she cleans him up.

“Is um…” Sebastian looks around hesitantly as he asks, “Is dad here?”

Before she even answers, Sebastian knew the response as his mother’s smile falters, face looking pained before she attempts to hide it all back away. “He’s busy tonight. He sends his apologies.”

“Right,” Sebastian nods trying to pretend that he didn’t care.

“Give him some time Sebastian,” Marina pleads gently with him, squeezing his hand. “He does love you, he had all these plans…” Shaking her head she changes the subject thankfully. “It seems like a beautiful house. Why don’t you give me a tour? If you have time…” Her eyes flick across the bustling guests all well on their way to getting drunk.

“Of course,” Sebastian brightens at that, because it was his favourite thing to do; gush about Mark’s house. Or his, or theirs. Whatever it was now that he was living here too. And then for the seemingly millionth time he begins his tour, not that he was tired of it. He loved pointing out all the little things, all the little design features that Mark had put thought into that he wouldn’t have thought up. He puts more effort in for his mother, he wanted her approval, her okay on everything.

“It’s a lovely house,” Marina finally comments when Sebastian eventually falls silent having run out of things to say. They were upstairs in the master bedroom, Marina next to the large windows that looked out across the back of the property; she looked lost in thought as she stood there, a sigh leaving her as she does.

“You don’t really like it.” That was the only conclusion Sebastian could draw from her silence. Jaime and Nico had been much more enthusiastic. His mother should top that, she loved this sort of thing. She had single-handedly designed and redecorated their own home so many times when he was younger he could swear he lived in at least three different homes.

“Oh no Sebastian,” his mother whips around to look at him. “That’s not it. It’s a beautiful house. I mean that. Might lack homely touches, all it has is furniture but a few throw pillows, rugs and it would be perfect…but it is lovely.”

Sebastian’s lips flicker at a smile at that, at least she was still the same. “Well feel free to buy some, Mark and I won’t be down at the store picking out throw cushions. We want to go ride on mower shopping instead. We’re going to get two and race each other…” he trails off then because his mother had fallen silent and returned to looking out the window and there was no point pretending anymore if his mother wasn’t going to. “What’s wrong?”

Marina moves to sit down on the edge of the bed, patting a spot next to her, and after hesitating for a moment Sebastian plops down beside her. “I’m leaving your father.”

Out of everything that could come out of his mother’s mouth that was the last thing he was expecting. “What?”

Her hand falls to his knee and squeezes it. “You and father and I haven’t been okay for _years_ and I suppose I just put up with a lot of things just for you. But the last few months I realise I don’t need to protect you from that…”

“Mum,” Sebastian whispers upset, “If this is because of me…”

“Oh honey, this is so not to do with you. It may have led me to realise a few things but this has _nothing_ to do with you and your gay thing with Mark.” The smile she forces is sad and Sebastian feels sick because he doesn’t believe her.

“I’m sorry…”

“Sebastian,” his mother says sharply at that. “Your father was emotionally blackmailing you over our marriage, something if I had known about I would have walked out far earlier. He has not been a good husband in a _long_ time, and the only reason I never left was because of you. But you are not child anymore, something of which you have gone to great lengths to prove over the last few months. This is me making a choice for me.”

Her tone was adamant, but she sounded stronger than she looked. She was clearly struggling in her decision. But still, he was shocked and he would need some time to think about all this, process what this was going to mean. “What about…” He hated to imply his mother was materialistic but she was, every aspect of her life proved that but how to phrase it delicately… “What about the money?” He gives up on subtle, and his mother’s laughter that came at the question was not the expected response.

“Money?”

“Well yeah… Dad always said if he left he’d leave you nothing…”

“Oh Sebi,” she kisses her cheek still chuckling. “If you had actually worked with your father and not become the company’s pencil sharpener,” the twinkle in her eyes showed her amusement at his behaviour, “You would have known how desperate your father is. The business is about to declare bankruptcy. We’ve been making cost cuts for a while, like letting Jorge go, but I am _not_ broke. When your grandfather passed away, he left me a large sum of money, something that I have been keeping safe. I will have a very fine life sweetie, don’t you worry about that.”

“Oh,” Sebastian doesn’t know what else to say that. He’d always worried it was his mother that needed to be taken care of, but she seemed to be managing things fine on her own. “What about dad then?”

“Well he can’t get to that money, we’ll split the remaining assets 50-50, but it’s really only the house we have. But I don’t want you to worry about these things, I might not have a business degree, but I have always been very good at money, more so with the spending but still…” She smiles and Sebastian pulls her into a hard hug.

“If you need anything…” he starts.

“I am fine Sebastian.”

“If you need anything,” he repeats, because he knows how hard this is, will be for his mother. “Please tell me. _Anything_.”

Marina pulls away to kiss his cheek once more. “I love you Sebastian.”

“I love you too,” he murmurs enjoying his mother stroking his hair for a moment before remembering he wasn’t meant to anymore and stands up. “Would you like a drink or something?”

“That sounds lovely,” she smiles. “I’ll be right down,” she says when Sebastian lingers at the door when she doesn’t move to join him. “I’m just going to make some mental notes about what to buy for you. I’ll do up a lovely house warming park to warm up your rooms. Something with tones of green I think…help bring the indoors in…”

Sebastian stares at Mark’s black and white bedding, plain as it was he didn’t have a problem with it... but he did like green... If Mark knew his mother was going to redecorate he’d have a fit but if he denies any knowledge… “Okay. Just don’t go overboard,” he pleads. “And nothing _fluffy_.”

“When do I go overboard?” Marina asked, sounding much like her son did when he was being huffy.

Sebastian thinks it’s best to not answer that and instead hurries out and goes downstairs. He slows when he sees Mark lingering near the bottom, and when he glances up Sebastian can see he was concerned.

“Everything okay?” Mark asks fingers stroking his forearm as he does and the action has Sebastian shiver. Would that ever fade; reacting to Mark from the simplest things? Secretly he hoped not.

“Yeah,” Sebastian shrugs. “We can talk about it later.” Now with a house full of people wasn’t the time to discuss his parents splitting up and very likely divorcing.

“I want to kiss you,” Mark murmurs to him, stepping up onto the first stair to level them, but he doesn’t touch him. “So badly…”

Sebastian felt his stomach flood with anticipation and anxiousness, eyes scanning out over all the people. While he hadn’t voiced it to Mark, the reason he wanted this house warming party was to sort of come out, let everyone know, without actually saying the words, or with the touching. He was trying very hard to stop hiding and he was getting better at this, being out and being with Mark, but he couldn’t do the public affection thing yet.

Mark understanding just leans down to murmur in his ear, “Later though. And I’ll kiss you _everywhere_.”

“Stop doing that,” Sebastian rasps before he pushes passed Mark as he feels his body react to those words.

“Kissing you?” Mark asks amused as Sebastian continues to put space between them.

“I’m ignoring you!” Sebastian calls back to him, making his way over to Nico and Jaime, where it looked like Jaime was busy interrogating Nico’s date for the night. He was keen to join in, plus the way Nico was staring at her, and the way he’d been talking about her the last couple of weeks, Sebastian was starting to think this wasn’t just _any_ girl, this Megan apparently had one of his best friend’s wrapped around her finger. Women.

*          *          *

Mark had escaped outside to find a moment alone. The party had become too much for him and Jenson seemed to have pissed off. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Sebastian pushing this without asking him how he felt. Mark can already hear the quiet murmuring of the voice of reason reminding him that he hadn’t told Sebastian his reasons but had instead just said the word ‘no’ in every way possible. But still, it stung a little. Sebastian pushing this.

Shaking his head, he downs the last dregs of his beer before hugging his knees, eyes fixed on the tree line where there first rays of light began to break the darkened sky. It was morning and his house still had far too many people in it, though most of those people were now unconscious and littering various spaces on his floors. He’d deal with that later, in a few hours.

Collapsing back onto the ground he closes his eyes and breathes deeply as his exhaustion begins to soak deeper into his bones. He thinks he drifts off, outside, on lumpy ground beneath brightening skies. It’s either that or David had discovered a way to walk incredibly stealthily across terrain that didn’t allow for stealthy.

“Sebastian was looking for you.” David’s quiet murmur is what has Mark’s eyes flick back open, startled from his light snoozing. “He’s cleaning up, I think slightly worried that you might be pissed off at him.”

“I am,” Mark murmurs shifting to dislodge a twig from under his shoulder. Once more reasonably comfortably, he fixes his blurry gaze on David. Blinking to clear his vision he can see that David seems far broodier than usual but before he can question him David continues.

“This party isn’t going to end being some _thing_ for you two?”

“Thing?” Mark’s eyebrows raise up at the question.

“I mean you and he aren’t going to have issues because of this are you?”

Mark’s mouth twitches into a tiny smile. “We’ll be fine. I’ll just find a way to punish him. Though your… _concern_ is unexpected.” He had to pause to find the right word.

“I want you to be happy Mark.” The smile Mark receives while small is genuine. “Just ensure you tell that to your boyfriend when you go back to the house because I think he needs the reassurance more than me.”

“I will,” Mark says moving to sit upright once more, yawning as he does so. There’s a long silence between the two, not awkward, just silence that eventually Mark breaks. “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Life?” David offers as an answer before his head drops to his hands and his fingers were pushing through his hair. “I spoke with Jenson…”

That has Mark’s ear prick up. “You sort things out?”

“Yeah,” David nods but the sadness in his eyes all Mark needs to know that it wasn’t a happy ending. David draws in a deep breath, “I’m leaving.”

The words hang between them, Mark’s head trying to process exactly what that meant. And eventually he summons a response, “Oh.”

“And this isn’t just so Jenson doesn’t have to leave, or because of you and Sebastian. I mean it’s a lot of things. I feel like I just need some time out, to regroup, work out what I want and sort out my head. Heal maybe…”

Mark nods his head as he comes to term with what David was saying. He was leaving. Leaving so Jenson wouldn’t have to, leaving to get away from him, leaving to escape from all of them; David’s denial that wasn’t the case not making any of it less true. He wanted to tell David that wasn’t necessary, that leaving was running and they all just needed time, but the words wouldn’t get passed the lump in his throat. And yet there was no hiding from the truth behind David’s reasoning, all Mark does is turn to stare at the trees and skies in front of him, fingers searching for something to distract himself with. Clutching a stick he sets about snapping it into tiny pieces.

“I was thinking of going to Scotland, take a holiday…”

“How long?” Mark finally manages to say something, voice breaking as he does.

The only response from David is a shrug, all indications that this wasn’t a ‘holiday’ but rather something that was probably going to be a lot closer to permanent. Mark wanted to know how he could just leave, how he could just walk away from the only place he called home, but he can’t because he can see David is just as upset as he is. So clearing his throat, Mark chokes out, “When?”

When David looks at him, his eyes were glassy with tears. “Tomorrow, or really today now.”

Mark again nods his head biting his lip. Letting out a shuddery breath he breathes out shakily, “What about Jenson?”

“He knows, I spoke to him. I’m not a completely heartless bastard.”

“Fucking arguable.” There was no venom in those words, more defeat. He had known for a long time that things with David were over, but this decision to leave was David cutting off the last of their threads together. For so long he and David had been working to get to a point where they could be friends, but the possibility of no David in his life was not something that Mark had to face the thought of in a long time. Heels of his hands digging into his eyes, Mark struggles to accept that this was what everything boiled down to – David leaving.

There’s a weight on his shoulder, David’s forehead pressing into him. “I’m so sorry Mark,” David’s voice breaks, feels tears soak through the sleeve of his shirt. “I just need some time, need to learn to accept things, learn to let go of things. Please understand this, please…”

And Mark does, he does and it hurts.

The pressure on his shoulder is removed before there are lips against Mark’s ear, David words an almost inaudible whisper, “For what it’s worth, I love you and I’m sorry.”

Mark’s hands drop away from his face. He hears David stand up, hears him walk off, and he struggles to turn around and say something, to at least wait so he can think of something to say to fix this. But when he does finally turn around, David was already just a figure in the far distance, already well passed the house. And Mark knew, deep down that he wouldn’t see him again, could feel it in his gut; this was the end.

Realising that sitting out here, aching over something that should be the past wasn’t right, Mark drags himself to his feet. Scooping up any beer bottles he finds on the way, he makes his way back to the house and back to Sebastian where all he wanted to do was crawl into his bed and curl up around his boyfriend.

The moment Mark spies Sebastian in the kitchen, loading a garbage bag with trash, looking dishevelled and just as exhausted as he felt, he forgot about David. Sebastian looks up, and smiles at him, perhaps with a tad uncertainty, but it dissolves when Mark flashes him a brief one of his own in reassurance. The smile Sebastian gives him then is full watt, his face lighting up despite looking like he was ready to drop to the floor and sleep. Ignoring Sebastian’s rules about being affectionate in public, Mark steps across an unconscious Jaime on the ground to pull Sebastian into a tight hug and when it’s returned, he knows that everything would be okay.

Everything was going to be okay.

**********

_End._


End file.
